Fragile Harmony
by Twilight Kiss
Summary: She was supposed to lead a fairly normal life now, not dress up in her kunoichi clothes and help save the world on a regular basis. That was a superhero's job. However, the one thing that the kunoichi would not stand for was having her precious people threatened in any way, shape or form. Just because she was a centuries-old biju in a completely different world meant very little.
1. Prologue

Notes:

1. The word 'Kami'(神) here is not being used as 'god' but more on natural forces, spirits or essence. I don't practice Shinto so any mistakes are due to ignorance, not disrespect. I only have Wikipedia as a reference.

2. There will be minor crossovers with Naruto and Hell Girl but mostly in flashbacks and all the major events will happen in the Justice League universe.

* * *

Prologue: The End and a New Beginning

"The only destiny that everyone shares is death." I remember having those words said to me once. They were from a boy who believed that everything had already been decided by fate and destiny. He was one of the most stubborn people I've ever met; so much so that I literally had to beat it into his skull that destiny and fate aren't set in stone.

Of course, I knew that everyone's time would come sooner or later. I also knew that some of my precious people would not make it when the Fourth Great Shinobi War started. Nearly everyone I cared about died in that war. Iruka-sensei, Kakashi-sensei, Sakura and countless others died before the war ended. Those that survived past the war saw nothing left to live for. The land in all the countries would not let plants grow. The waters would quench neither thirst nor fire. Everything was dying of sickness and no one, not even Tsunade, the best medic in my world, could cure them. The last of our greatest minds discovered that the power Obito unleashed to revive the Jūbi unbalanced the world so greatly that the connection between everything and kami was severed. People lost hope and slowly died one by one until finally, I was all alone.

During the war, the Jūbi was resurrected. I was grateful that I had prepared for it as the Jūbi would have destroyed everything that stood in Obito's way. I sealed it inside myself just as the Rikudō Sennin (Sage of the Six Paths) was said to have done and absorbed it fully to make sure no one could get their hands on it ever again. It was quick but the pain made it feel as if several eternities stretched into those few minutes. The stress caused my hair to turn silver and my body to change. Because I became the Jūbi, I was given a type of invincibility. There was so much power, much more than what the Kyūbi had, and I never felt more alive. Injuries could be healed in a fraction of the time it used to and even limbs regenerated or could be reattached without the use of a jutsu. With the new power I had, I killed Obito easily and was given the name Kami Kirā (God Killer). However, I paid a terrible price for that power. I couldn't die and I was forced to watch as everyone slowly wasted way.

It had been months since I had seen a living person. I amused myself with playing with the power I received as the new Jūbi in an attempt to distract myself from the guilt, loneliness and pain. I learned that I could perform any elemental jutsu as easily as if I had an affinity for all of them. I could even generate any element I needed with just my chakra alone.

And yet... there was nothing for me to fight for... nothing for me to protect.

The last person I buried was a stranger. It was the first time I've seen his face and I didn't even know his name. Yet I still buried him like I did with so many others. It was his face that was on my mind as I trekked up the beaten path that would lead me to the ruins of the Hokage Monument. There were chunks missing from the faces of the five Hokage and great trenches were scattered here and there. I stared at the smoldering remains of what was once a beautiful shinobi village. I sat against a dead tree as I watched the sun set. It gave off a blood red color and spread it to whatever it touched. I remember thinking if I should throw myself off the mountain or commit seppuku to join everyone I loved. My grip on my katana was slack as I idly took it out of its sheath. Though, I made no move to kill myself yet; something simply told me to wait. I must have fallen asleep since I remember floating in nothingness. There was no up or down as far as I could tell. I simply floated when a voice spoke to me. I couldn't tell if it was a man or a woman. All I knew was that it was the most wonderful thing I've heard at that time: the voice of another.

"There is no more hope in this world," it said. I knew already knew that. "Kami cannot be erased from existence yet this world can no longer be used to house Kami." I simply listened to the voice, not caring what it was talking about. "You shall house Kami and be given a new existence in a new world." After that was the most excruciating pain I've ever imagined. It was many times worse than what I felt when I absorbed the Jūbi. I would have given anything to escape the pain yet I knew that I had nothing to give. Just as suddenly as it came, the pain went away. I dimly saw a bright light shine on me before a great force threw me towards it. As I entered the light, I was assaulted with lights and colors of all kinds. It made me sick to watch them pass by. I vaguely heard the voice say that my destiny wasn't to die before I passed out.

When I came to, there was a roof over my head and I was on a thin mattress and covered by a patched up blanket. An elderly woman came and said that she found me unconscious in her field two nights ago. She went on about how she was worried that I wouldn't wake up until now and how her neighbors kept pestering her to see me as my silver hair and purple eyes were unknown to any of them. I didn't answer her questions with more than a nod or shake of my head nor did I answer any questions about myself before she found me and she seemed fine with that. I didn't say a word until I grasped her sleeve one day. "Arigato gozaimashita, Obaa-san (Thank you very much, Grandmother)." Her smile lit up the small hut she lived in better than any candle. She gave me the name Tsukiko since my hair and skin reminded her of the pale moonlight.

I learned everything about the new world that I'm in from her. How people feared samurai almost as much as they fear the monsters that roam at night. How the country I'm in was essentially ruled by daimyō and the shōgun while the emperor was a little more than a figurehead and so much more. I spent years with her. She treated me as if I was really her granddaughter and helped me avoid the men who wanted me to marry them. The day she died hurt as much as the death of my friends from my old world. I left days after her burial. I encountered a number of odd people though there were only three that became my closest companions. Though the smiles I used to give freely came rarely since Obaa-san died, I found myself smiling whenever my friends are with me.

The last thing I saw in my old world was a blood red sunset that colored the world in that same shade. In my new home, with my new friends, I shall make sure that I shall never see the world in that color ever again.


	2. Chapter 1

Fragile Harmony

Notes:

1. FemNaruto might be acting a bit out of character but you have to remember that she lived through a war, saw everyone in her world die and spent a few centuries in the JL universe so she much more mature (maybe).

2. Italics are a foreign language; mostly Japanese unless stated otherwise. Underlined speech is telepathic conversations.

3. I'll be changing the results of some jutsu like the Hyōton: Haryū Mōko. In the movie, the dragon shatters after flying around the tiger and then the tiger smashes into the ground; here, it will be different. I'll also be making my own. I'm (ab)using creative liberty here.

* * *

Chapter 1: Choices and Combat

Ren groaned silently as he listened to Howard blather on about the barbeque he was having on Saturday. Normally, he got along with the older blonde as he was friendly and enthusiastic but he drew the line when the blonde scientist tried to act like a cool ladies' man. It simply did not suit him. "Hey, Ren. You can bring your family along. After all, Venus is rising early and I think your cousin would like to share the view with me," he said as he slicked his hair back and fixed his collar.

"Howie, you get rejected by Tsuyu every time you ask her out and if you're talking about Kazumi-chan, I will gut you like a trout after Wan-jiisan rips your throat out and Tsuyu chops off what makes you a man." He gave the other a glare to add to the effect and was pleased when he backed away while nervously laughing. In the few short months that Ren transferred to Metropolis, it became well known in the Wayne Tech Metropolis Sub-station that Ren was extremely protective of his younger cousin. At 18 years old, Kazumi was a vision of playful beauty with long dark hair that reached her slim waist. Her eyes were a beautiful shade of purple, which captivated everyone around her. She would always have a ready smile for those she met but they became blinding only when it was given to her family.

The others snickered at Howard's expense. They accepted his invitation eagerly before Howard left. Ren adjusted his hair to make sure it covered the left side of his face, company dress code be damned. He stretched his arms over his head and winced as his muscles loosened and bones popped. Soon, he gathered his things and said goodbye to the others. As he left the room, he checked his shirt pocket and discovered that he left his favorite pen.

He opened the door a bit and stopped as he saw Lee lift a piece of machinery that weighed at least two tons over his head while Cynthia tore down the wall with her bare hands and revealed a black, grey and red blob. He saw movement above and saw the caped figure of Batman. '_Now why is Koumori-san here? He usually sticks to Gotham_,' Ren thought as he stealthily followed the three other technicians and fished his cellphone out of his pocket. He sent a message to Tsuyu about what he saw and asked for back up. Knowing Kazumi, she'd insist on helping and Wanyūdō would make her ride in the carriage despite her protests of people seeing a flying carriage with burning wheels.

The technicians climbed all the way up to the giant satellite dish on the roof, holding the blob like a baby. Seeing as how there wasn't a surface where he could project his eye on, he climbed up. He was just in time to see Cynthia punch Batman in the gut and throw him away. He planted both feet on the back of the dark skinned woman's head, using her as a platform to jump over the other two who were tied up. He looked over his shoulder and saw that Batman was as surprised by his appearance as the fact that Lee and Al somehow distributed their body mass towards their heads to escape the rope they were tangled in before returning to their normal human forms. "That's something you don't see everyday. Ne, Koumori-san?" The masked man merely grunted.

Cynthia came at them again with a speed the two didn't know she had. The Dark Knight jumped high and sent a batarang to her head, which bounced off harmlessly. Lee rushed at him and aimed a punch to his jaw that he barely blocked. '_He punches hard for a skinny guy_.' He thrust the palm of his hand to Lee's chest and kicked the other man in the chin. Al ran to back Lee up while Cynthia was thrown over Batman's shoulder. Ren flipped to his hands and kicked both men in the chest before sailing over the hefty woman. He cast off his lab gown in midair and quickly assumed a defensive stance when he landed.

"Need a hand," a voice from behind the two temporary allies asked. With his red cape flapped in the wind, Superman studied the five people on the satellite dish. The three technicians gave no reaction to his arrival while the young man glanced at his direction before focusing on the three in front of him.

"Thanks but I can handle this," Batman replied curtly.

Ren snorted. "You're close to getting your butt handed to you by someone in high heels and takes a batarang to the head like it was a spitball." Ren was wary of the three and it showed since he hadn't taken his eyes off them for more than a second. "I don't know what they are but it's obvious they're not human."

Al shouted something he didn't catch and the others jumped off the satellite dish after him. As the superheroes and Ren ran after them, Superman suddenly grasped his head in pain and fell. A loud beeping sound was heard; Ren and Batman carried the Man of Steel on their shoulders. It was the first time both had seen the misshapen device but the loud beeping told them that it was a bomb. Though both tried to hide it, fear swept through their nerves like fire, knowing that their lives were in danger. The young scientist saw something in the distance and smiled. "Hang on, Koumori-san. My ride's here."

Batman looked in the same direction and saw something coming right at them. He soon saw a flying Japanese styled horseless carriage with flaming wheels. What struck him as odd, however, was that one of the wheels had a man's large angry face on it. It hovered right in front of them and the door slid open to reveal two women. "Get in!" said the younger. They climbed in with Superman still unconscious. The carriage flew away but was thrown off balance by a particularly large blast.

They landed roughly not far from the burning building. Ren and the older woman swiftly but carefully carried Superman out of the carriage while the younger one with purple eyes led him out. Gotham's Knight watched as the carriage shifted into the body of an elderly man wearing long-sleeved haori over a dull green yukata lying on his side. A wide-brimmed hat lay near his bald head. "Wanyūdō!" the younger cried as she ran to help him.

The old man rubbed his head to ease some of the pain he was in as he sat up. "I'm all right, Jou-chan. Just a bit banged up," he said to the worried girl. "You should check on Ren and the other two."

She reluctantly left his side and approached Superman. Batman would have been surprised when her hands glowed a dull yellow as soon as the hero was within reach if he were not more concerned about the technicians he fought. The bomb they had was obviously alien technology since it slithered into the transmitter like a snake. They also did humanly impossible things during the fight. He watched the mangled bodies of the people he fought not a minute ago stand and right themselves. Lee pulled his arm out of Al's chest without leaving a single mark and bones that were supposed to be broken snapped back in place and they calmly walked away as if they had never had injuries that should have killed them. The oldest looking one mockingly bade them goodbye in the cocky way Howard often did.

"Batman? Superman seems fine but there was a telepathic link between his mind and another. It caused him pain because the other mind didn't have enough control over his abilities." She was also looking at the direction of the three and glared at them with those intense eyes. He regarded the young girl and knew it to be the cousin Ren was so protective over. He asked if she could trace the connection. She shook her head and said, "To do so while both minds are in a state of imbalance might damage them."

"Kazumi-chan, you should scan Koumori-san too. One of them punched him in the gut really hard." Kazumi nodded. Batman tried to play off his injuries but a glare from the girl who barely reached his chin stopped any and all protests. He also felt a slightly oppressive aura from the girl, which dissipated once he consented to an examination.

Her hands glowed yellow again and Batman felt a warm sensation coming from her hands pass through him. Kazumi had a concentrated look on her face as she cautiously sent her chakra into him. Though her chakra control was near perfect, it had been too long since she had used medical jutsu and she knew the consequences of losing focus were harmful to both healer and patient. "A couple of bruised ribs and some slight bruising are starting to form. There are also a few past injuries that haven't completely healed yet." She stopped the jutsu and made some hand seals before the yellow was replaced by green. The bat's posture relaxed slightly in relief as his injuries quickly healed.

Superman chose that moment to stir. "What happened?"

"Zumi-chan said someone forced a telepathic connection with you," Tsuyu said. "It made you black out for a while since the other mind couldn't control it for some reason." Tsuyu had the Kryptonian's head on her lap. "Were you able to see anything?"

He got up and tried to remember what he had seen. "Mostly flashes of color. I can't be sure but I saw some creatures that looked humanoid and an attack on another planet. It was so intense and then... That's all I remember." He looked at Batman. "What's this all about?"

Batman regarded him with a stare. "Over the past few months, I've detected several security breeches in our global deep space monitoring network. Obviously, they didn't want to leave evidence behind."

Wanyūdō stepped up. "No one has claimed responsibility for the breeches?"

"No one knows what's going on and nothing suspicious was reported when I umm... browsed through the archives out of boredom," Ren remarked. He gave Kazumi a meaningful look. The youngest of the group subtly shook her head. "Someone's covering something up and a few of the others said that those three have been acting slightly different from usual for a while now, around the same time numerous satellite transmitters were being destroyed via bombings."

"If they were drastic enough to blow up the entire station to erase evidence, it must be more serious than you initially believe." Tsuyu got up from the ground and dusted her pants. "Also, those three might have replaced the ones Ren worked with long ago."

"Even worse, they don't care who gets hurts in the process." Kazumi watched as the fire ate away at the building. It was a similar to the way building and homes were burnt down during the war against Obito. Some even had entire families when they burned to the ground and she couldn't do anything to help. Her palm started to bleed slightly because of how hard she was digging her nails into it. She promised herself that she would do everything she could not to lose any more precious people to a war yet she almost lost Ren tonight.

A hand placed itself on her own and startled her out of her thoughts. Ren stared deep into her eyes as if knowing what was on her mind. "I'm right here, Kazumi-chan. I'm not going anywhere for a good long time." The others had approached her as well and gave encouraging smiles. She gave a smile back but it lacked the warmth her smiles usually have.

Meanwhile, Superman and Batman were discussing the bombing themselves. "What do you think about what those four said?"

"Ren Ichimoku has been a model employee and does his job well despite complaints about his disregard for the dress code. I don't have any information on the other three except that the family is extremely protective of their youngest though she appears to be the strongest of them. They do have some logical insights however. It's highly possible."

"I'd like to stay and look into it but I'm expected back at Metropolis," Superman said as he reached into his belt and pulled out two signal watches. Batman sarcastically asked if he was receiving another key to the city and reluctantly took them. "Give the other to one of them and tell them to call if any help is needed. You should use it too, Bruce." He spoke the last part silently as he didn't want the four to know of Batman's alter ego. With that, he flew off to his city.

He was very well aware of the fact that he didn't have superpowers and he didn't like being reminded of his limitations; the watch did just that. Batman stared at the watches and contemplated on throwing his away before deciding against it and put one in his belt. He also decided to do a thorough background check on the family. As he stalked over to them, he heard them ask his employee what he'll do for a job now since he'll be under suspicion as the 'only survivor' of the bombing. He mentally told himself to give the young man another position without raising suspicion. He handed it to the young girl as she seemed to be the leader of the group despite being the youngest. "Superman wants you to use this in case you or your family run into trouble." It was accepted with a bow. He bid them goodbye before disappearing into the forest.

Kazumi sighed and leaned against Ren. "And here I thought we wouldn't go through too much excitement in this lifetime with all the superheroes protecting the world." She released the illusion around herself. Her hair became the color of the moon and flowed freely to the small of her back. She grew a few more inches and paled just a bit. Her violet eyes that she had for centuries were the only things that stayed the same. She also seemed to have aged a bit and now looked like she was in her early twenties.

"We could leave this one alone, Jou-chan." He was worried that living for so long would take its toll on the young girl. The world-weary look was showing up more often than usual and it scared the old man. "None of our handlers or friends have contacted us for assistance."

"You did do a lot in the other wars and helped so many even before that, Zumi-chan." She too knew about Kazumi's life before she came to this world. The former oiran's eyes watered every time she was reminded of how much the former kunoichi had lived through. "Superman and others can take care of this just as they always do."

However, Ren had an entirely different opinion. As the longest to have known Kazumi, he knew that she couldn't ignore this when people's lives were at stake. Despite all the torment the years have put her through, her heart was still too big for the world to understand. All he could do was stay by her side and support her decision. When she looked at him for his input, he said, "It's your choice, Kazumi-chan. Whatever you decide, we'll do what we can to help."

The pale young woman closed her eyes and silently considered both choices. Her thought were going a mile a minute before she snapped open her eyes. "We have some information to collect."

* * *

Ren projected his eye on the ceiling of the World Assembly Building in Metropolis. They were to discuss what to do with the nuclear missiles that countries have been building since the end of WWII. The amount that had been made since then was staggering and would make the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki pale in comparison to what would happen if the warheads were to go off at the same time.

According to Kazumi, the timing and location was far too perfect. Everyone in the world knew that Metropolis was the city of Superman and news of the World Assembly meeting in Metropolis was all people talked about despite last night's bombing. Superman was known for his preference for peace so it was fairly easy to deduce that he would be there to ascertain that the warheads were disarmed.

Then there was what Batman said last night. The three aliens destroyed a deep space satellite dish, one that could have detected space ships, and Ren told them that more had been destroyed during the past few months. Two of the best ways to invade a country would be to keep the threat unknown until it was too late for defensive actions and to disarm it from the inside with the support of the masses under the notion that it was for the greater good. The speaker, Senator Carter, was a very influential person and a great supporter of the plan to disarm the warheads in order to protect the planet. The meeting would be given worldwide coverage and Superman's star power would ensure that the most of the world would support the disarmament despite what happened with Darkseid.

The Hone-onna asked if the senator was involved with those aliens from the station yet Kazumi didn't have an answer for Tsuyu. It could be that Carter was being manipulated by the aliens or was one of them himself. On the other hand, he could be sincere in wanting to protect Earth from its own inhabitants and his position on the matter was being taken advantage of. Without knowing the complete personality and background of the senator, it was impossible to tell and she couldn't very well interrogate or use the Yamanaka Clan's jutsu to get the information they needed as the target was too heavily protected and well-known. Not only that, but their contact in the US government, Amanda Waller, was extremely tight-lipped about the incidents involving the monitoring network. They also had little information from their foreign contacts.

So they had to resort to spying on the senator. The first step was to see what's going on in the meeting. The Japanese ambassador seemed a bit of an idealist yet he was antagonistic towards those who opposed his views. '_I wonder how he got his position_,' Ren thought as he started a spat with General Wells. '_He's much too outspoken to be a decent politician_.'

The general had a better head on his shoulders thankfully. He knew that nuclear weapons were a danger but also knew the importance of having weapons to dissuade would-be-attackers. The tsukumogami wanted to hear what he had to say but Carter walked in before he could answer. Carter was persuasive, Ren would give him that, but he couldn't help but feel that the man was up to something and it had nothing to do with introducing the well-built man in blue tights and red briefs who just strode into the room.

After the meeting, Ren spied on the senator as discreetly as possible wherever he went. He made his eye to stick to high or shadowed ceilings and walls to avoid detection even though only the fainstest of outline of his eye was visible. He was confident that not even Superman was aware of what he was doing. As the senator entered his hotel room however, Ren saw the barrel of a gun. Carter had somehow slipped a silenced gun in his pocket and aimed right at his pupil. "I know you're there," he said with a hint of amusement. "I have to say that your thoughts during the meeting were interesting. I might ask Imperium if I may keep you for entertainment." With that, he shot at the giant eye. Ren had to call it back or risk damaging his eye.

Ren panted hard as he took in his surroundings. He was in their apartment and there wasn't a gun in sight. "Ren! What happened?" Kazumi asked hysterically. She swept aside the hair that covered the left side of his face and studied the green eye. Aside from the obvious fear in it, nothing was wrong. She kept a hold on the young man to keep him grounded.

"C-carter's one of them," he managed to choke out. Tsuyu fetched him a warm cup of tea to help him calm down while Wanyūdō led him to one of the armchairs. He gave them an account of everything that happened while he spied on the senator, especially the idea that the aliens were telepathic and confirmed the threat of invasion. Kazumi then put her friend to sleep.

"Should we tell Superman about Carter?" Tsuyu asked.

Kazumi shook her head. "We don't have proof other than Ren's word and it might not be a good idea to tell him what we are."

Wanyūdō sighed. "And we don't know how to contact Batman. It's possible he might be more willing to hear us out since he knows a bit about Jou-chan and I but there's a chance that he might not believe us either."

"In any case, Ren can't spy on Carter anymore," Tsuyu said. "He'll be able to tell who he is and might find out about the rest of us. We can't risk Ren getting hurt anymore."

A sharp knock on their door interrupted the small family. Wanyūdō and Kazumi put Ren to bed while Tsuyu answered the door and greeted the handsome dark-eyed billionaire giving her a charismatic smile by the name of Bruce Wayne. She greeted him politely while wondering if she should do something to the man in case he was a threat to them. "Good morning, Miss. I'm looking for an employee of mine by the name of Ichimoku Ren. I'm here regarding the bombing of the sub-station here in Metropolis."

"I see, Wayne-san. I'm Ren's cousin, Tsubaki Tsuyu. I'm afraid Ren is resting at the moment because of the incident. Would you like to come in and wait for him to come out?" She didn't want to invite the man in no matter how devilishly handsome and charming he was. But to do so might antagonize the man and give Ren more trouble.

"If it's no trouble to you or your family," he replied easily. Bruce entered the cozy condominium. The walls were painted in a soothing shade of green while the dark wooden table was surrounded by couches in a very dark shade of blue. The windows let in a good amount of natural light and some Japanese landscape paintings were hung on the walls. On one of the bookshelves was a photograph of the entire family in traditional Japanese clothes. "You have a lovely home, Tsubaki-san. I especially admire the paintings you've hung."

Wanyūdō came into the room and heard him. "You would have to thank Kazumi for those, young man. She has become quite skilled as painter since she first started." Wanyūdō sat down on the couch and offered the business tycoon a seat while Tsuyu went to prepare some tea. Bruce noticed that he still wore his hat and traditional Japanese clothes at home. "As I understand it, you wish to speak with Ren about what happened to your station. However, last night's events have caught up with him so my youngest grandchild insisted he rest for the day. She also refuses to leave his side to make sure my grandson doesn't sneak out."

Bruce quirked a smile as his butler and father figure would do the same from time to time. "I understand, sir. While I would like to hear what happened in detail, I'm actually here to concerning another matter. He might have told you already but he assisted Batman in confronting those responsible for the bombing. I was given the general idea of what happened and I'm here to offer him another position. Wayne Tech has plans for another project underway and I wanted to know if he was willing to be a part of the project." Tsuyu placed the teapot and cups on the table before discreetly leaving the room. Both men took a cup.

The old man was silent for a moment, his brow creased as he thought. "I shall discuss this with him," he finally said. "You must understand why I am reluctant to allow my grandson to accept this offer. I have no wish to see Ren's time end before my own."

"Of course. Will a week be enough time for you and Ichimoku-san to discuss the matter?" Wanyūdō nodded and thanked his grandson's boss. "Then I shall await his call," he said as he handed the man his business card. "I thank you for your hospitality." Gotham's most eligible bachelor then left with a bow.

Tsuyu cleared the table. "What do you think, Wanyūdō? It seems like a good way for Ren to get more information without risking himself."

The older yōkai agreed. "With what has been happening to him lately, I'm sure Jou-chan will be more at ease knowing he's far away from Carter." They went to Ren's room and saw their young mistress unconscious. The Henge no Jutsu she used to disguise herself was dispelled. "Jou-chan!"

"Zumi-chan!" She checked her pulse and was relieved that it was strong and steady. There were no injuries, they didn't sense any magic at work and normal means of espionage were useless against them. She gritted her teeth unconsciously. "The same thing happened to Superman last night..." Tsuyu remembered.

"I think this is more of a warning than an attack." Wanyūdō contemplated. "Let's put Jou-chan to bed for now. She might have a headache when she wakes up." Tsuyu nodded.

Meanwhile, Bruce tried to piece together what he found out about his employee and his family. He didn't really find anything of worth, just Kazumi's adoption papers, educational background and other documents. The interesting thing was that, apart from a majority of their employment background and immigration papers from Australia, the paper trail of the adults was counterfeit. They were incredibly well made but forged nonetheless. The lack of hospital records would have been concerning if he had not been a recipient of Kazumi's healing skills. It troubled him. Why would a family spend so much effort to hide their lives until they adopted a baby girl? Even if half the family had powers and wanted to keep them quiet, it still didn't make sense.

Alfred noticed the somber mood his employer was in despite not taking his eyes of the road. "Is something else troubling you, Master Bruce? You don't seem to be thinking about those creatures that destroyed the station at the moment." He had been with the young master for his entire life; he could tell that his mind was not on what happened the night before.

"It might be nothing but I might have to watch that family more closely. There's something odd about them. "

"At least you know that they have little to do with what's been going on lately. They may even be able to help should worse come to worse." Alfred kept his face and voice impassive as he drove through Metropolis. However, that did little to mask his concern for his employer. This was much bigger than any scheme the Joker could come up with if it was making Master Bruce more tense than usual. "I'm sure Superman would also be willing to assist should you give him the chance."

"Maybe."

* * *

The TV set and a glowing crystal ball were the only light sources in the room. "-ning. This is Snapper Carr reporting. It's been six months since Senator J. Allen Carter's dramatic disarmament plan was ratified. While Superman has been working around the clock to disarm hundreds of deadly warheads, public support for the plan has swe-" The news report was cut off as Kazumi shut the TV off.

"Tired of hearing the same thing for the past week?" A deep voice asked her.

Kazumi smiled sheepishly as she looked over her shoulder to face the speaker. "Just a little. Besides, it's obvious they'll be singing praises to the Boy Scout's efforts in the end. Snapper's a supporter and Superman needs it. Don't you think so, Koumori-san?"

Said superhero's eyebrow twitched from under his cowl at hearing the nickname the other's cousin gave him. "Do you have anything to share?"

The white haired girl sighed. '_Straight to business as usual_,' she thought. "Ren went behind my back and spied on abandoned buildings that the aliens could hide in. There's some activity going on in the abandoned S.T.A.R. Labs Building here; he found a few devices similar in design to that bomb. He insisted on checking it out but that's where I drew the line."

"Did you look into it yourself?"

The former kunoichi nodded and she waved a hand over the crystal ball. "Tsuyu was right when she said that those three were replaced by aliens. They kept them in sacs, which only did the minimum to keep them alive. I was only able to rescue them and replace them with fake bodies before those aliens came back though." She showed the detective the image of the others caring for the technicians on her crystal ball. "I doubt you'll get any information from them. Even with all that we're doing to replenish their fluids and nutrients, it will take at least another week for them to be lucid. I had them moved to a secure location in case the invasion starts before they wake up."

Batman deliberated on what he just heard. "What about those messages you and Superman received? The one that showed you the invasion of Mars."

"I didn't get another one. It's possible that the Martian exhausted himself after sending Superman and I those images. Something has to be interfering with his telepathy." She spared him the details of the pain and loneliness the Martian felt of being the only one of his kind left. She knew the pain of being as alone as the Martian felt and it surprised her that he held on for so long. She was the last of her world as well but couldn't take the silence for ten months; five hundred years would have killed her. "If only I could have found out where they were keeping him..."

"We'll do what we can for the Martian soon. Right now, let's see what they have in the lab." She nodded and got up from the desk. Kazumi was wearing a dark blue battle kimono with gold trimmings that showed a modest amount of cleavage. It stopped mid-thigh and was secured by a white obi with some dark lines decorating it. A metal plate with a stylized leaf was in the exact center of her obi. A silver weapons pouch hung from a thin leather strap around her waist. Under her kimono was a pair of dark blue leggings. A short cape in a pale shade of blue, attached to the short sleeves of her kimono, flowed behind her while pale fingerless gloves with metal plates on the back of her hand covered half her forearms. Soft-looking boots kept her feet warm from the cold tile floor of her family's apartment. She lifted up a black cloth facemask to hide the lower part of her face.

At Batman's questioning look, Kazumi replied, "Well I can't sneak into an abandoned building with the Great Batman as a simple college student, now can I? People might think you need the help of ordinary civilians if they see me. Besides, I look good in this." She gave him a wink and flipped her long hair. The Dark Knight snorted and left through the open window. The girl jumped out and followed him. "Glad you see it my way."

The two were silent as they entered the abandoned laboratory. It was dark, dirty and it smelled like several things crawled into every nook and cranny and died. Kazumi pointed to the desk where one of the devices was. She lightly dragged her finger on it. "This hasn't been used in months," she said as she rubbed away the dust on her digit. The duo heard a noise and hid behind some machinery.

They snuck a look around the machine and saw the aliens that replaced Al and Cynthia. They were talking in that unknown language but the feeling of something big about to occur swelled in their stomachs as they watched the aliens exit the building. Kazumi moved closer to her companion and whispered, "The office they just left is where I found the sacs."

Batman nodded and moved towards the room. If anything important were being kept in the building, it would be in the room with the things they don't want anyone to find. The sacs were in the far corner of the room. The office was fairly neat if one could ignore the amount of dust covering every surface. Everything was in their proper place right down to the pens on the table. There were footprints but they only went to and from the sacs.

As they turned around to check another room, they heard growling. In the darkened corner was a massive dog. Its jaws were wet with drool as it bared it fangs at the two. It was low on the ground as it prepared to lunge at the costumed heroes.

As it launched itself at them, Batman and Kazumi dove in different directions. The dog followed Kazumi and tried to take a bite out of her leg. She hit its muzzle with the back of her hand as hard as she dared. The dog simply growled at her and lunged again only to abruptly stop in its tracks to avoid being hit by a batarang. It changed its target to Gotham's detective. Batman saw this and quickly tossed the animal over him with his feet, making it hit the desk. It got to its feet without so much as wincing and ran after them.

The two heroes took to the barren ceiling where pipes were exposed. "That's no ordinary dog," Kazumi muttered. As if to prove her point, the dog walked up the wall while its fur-covered body melted into a sickly black and gray form. Her eyebrow twitched in annoyance. '_Smart-ass alien mutt_.'

Seeing as there was no way the dog would let them out alive, Kazumi armed herself with kunai. She and Batman jumped to another pipe and ran out the room where they would have more space to fight. As the creature was about to run out the room, she flung her kunai straight at it. It twisted its body in a literally backbreaking way to avoid the small dagger.

It sized them up, trying to decide who was the bigger threat. When it charged at Batman, Kazumi ran to intercept it only to have the alien slam into her and gnashing its fangs into her arm. The masked girl bit back a scream. Batman picked up a fallen pipe and hit the thing with it. The alien caught the pipe with its mouth before tossing Batman over its head and into some abandoned equipment. The force and the lack of maintenance was enough to make the machines collapse on him.

Seeing this angered the silver-haired warrior. Kazumi's pupils turned into slits as she raised her right hand away from the alien. She concentrated her normal chakra as well as her demonic chakra into a Rasengan and slammed the attack at the alien's neck. It gave a yelp of pain and let go before starting to snarl at her once more.

"Oh, you don't like my Rasengan, do you?" she asked with a sadistic grin. She could feel her arm healing rapidly as the skin and muscles sewed themselves together. "Too fucking bad, bitch!" The alien lunged at her neck in desperation and anger. Kazumi took that chance to plunge her Rasengan into its mouth. The swirling ball of chakra ground the alien up and sent mush and slime flying everywhere. She quickly wiped off what got on her and made her way to Batman, making sure to keep her guard up in case the alien reformed until she reached the fallen hero.

The young woman pushed and tossed broken hunks of the machinery off her comrade. During the few months Batman had been in contact with them, he had become a valuable ally and a good friend. He provided her small family with a sense of hope that they may be able to be accepted by the world despite their differences while they provided him with information he might want and medical assistance whenever he was in the city. She hefted the metal slab, which would make most men worry about having their arms torn off if they had to carry it, above her head.

She was about to toss it away when something rammed into her. She dug her fingers into the metal, both to make sure it didn't fall on the caped crusader before her and to ground her from the sudden pain in her side. She inwardly cursed at herself for being so careless. She swiped at whoever hit her with the slab and felt the blow connect. She hit the wall on the other end of the large room with a pained grunt and tried to regain her breath. Her broken ribs immediately started healing and the cuts and bruises disappeared but it would take a few moments for her injured lung to repair itself. Seeing the bright red cape and blue tights, she mentally cursed him in the many languages and dialects she had learned over the centuries. She pressed a hand against her ribs and waited for the Boy Scout to learn that he just attacked an ally.

Superman arrived in time to see a woman with long pale hair about to drop a slab of metal. He saw the unconscious form of Batman lying on the ground; the Kryptonian flew at her and punched her in the side. He didn't expect to be smacked in the head by the piece of machinery. It was enough to disorient and send him into a wall. When she merely leaned against the wall and held her side, Superman sped to his friend's side. He saw that the man was slowly coming to and sighed, relieved that he got there just in time. "Batman!"

He groaned and opened his eyes only to see the worried face of one of the few people he would call a friend. He tried looking around but the pain in his ribs and neck prevented much movement. "Where's Kazumi?"

"Kazumi? The violet-eyed girl from the station?"

Batman grunted in pain. "She... looks different. Taller... long silver hair. She was... with me." Superman was silent and the masked billionaire was worried that something happened to her. "Where is she?" he growled.

"I think I made a mistake..."

"You **think**?! _You muscle-bound jackass! You fucking broke my ribs and punctured a lung. If you weren't Batman's ally, I'd eviscerate you right now and place you under an illusion so strong, you'd think a pink g-string was your costume for a month_!" she screamed. She made her way over to them and slapped the Man of Tomorrow on the back of the head. The Kryptonian apologized and had to fight the urge to run away from the enraged woman he couldn't understand at the moment. Oddly enough, that hit to the head hurt. Knowing Russian and having understood everything Kazumi said, Batman was both amused and sickened by the image that popped into his head. After one last glare, Kazumi focused her attention on Batman. She assessed the damage before healing his injuries. "Cuts and bruises, a mild concussion, moderate trauma to back of the ribs and spine and your leg is broken in two places." She visibly calmed as she took care of his injuries. "I can heal them in a few minutes but I still want you to-"

Her words were interrupted abruptly by a quickly approaching yellow light and the sound of something big whistling through the air. They looked out the window and saw a meteorite crashing. The woman cursed in Japanese. "Get going, Boy Scout!" Kazumi yelled. "You have to stop those things! Hurry! We'll be with you when Batman's healed!"

Superman did as he was told, the panic in her voice was just too real for him to ignore. He flew to the crash site, helping more and more people as he drew nearer. He helped the fire department put out the flaming meteorite and waited. Something about this seemed eerily familiar but he didn't know why. Still, he warned everyone to stay away from it.

The rock was still steaming as Superman flew closer. It was hot. Even with his invulnerability, he doubted he could handle the heat if he touched it. Kazumi's words sounded through his head. What did she mean when she told him to stop those things? As far as he could tell, there was only one meteorite.

Suddenly, the meteorite expelled more steam. Tremors shook the ground before a slimy sickly pale appendage broke through the space rock's surface and made to stab itself on the ground where two of Metropolis' finest were standing. Superman quickly flew to them and grabbed them by the back of their uniforms before they could get hurt. Another two joined the first as he landed and the three legs swayed before pulling the rest of the thing's body out of the rock. Standing at least twenty stories tall, its slim almost fragile looking body didn't seem to be able to support the bulbous and misshapen head. Red and black splotches that looked like dried poisoned blood dotted the head and legs. One of the bigger marks moved before a small section glowed bright red and fired at the crowd. It completely destroyed to squad cars and sent everything in the area flying.

He wasn't a fan of fighting when there was a more peaceful approach available but Superman would not allow anything to harm innocent bystanders. He flew at the machine in a rage, planning to take out the weapon on its head before it could hurt anyone else. The walker shot at him. He felt wave upon wave of pain as the red blast sent him bouncing off a building and onto a street. He was no stranger to pain, not with how creative some of his enemies can be, but he was less used to it than most as not many attacks can actually hurt him. That plasma blast hurt so badly he was close to blacking out. He distantly heard the sound of jets and saw the large silhouette of a bat sailing overhead.

Batman saw Superman crash into the asphalt below. Kazumi, who had hitched a ride on the Batwing, jumped down to the street without a hint of fear or hesitation. He ignored it, knowing that she had jumped from higher altitudes. The kunoichi landed just as people were gathering around the guardian of Metropolis. They regarded her with wariness and a bit of fear as she put her glowing green hands over their hero. Superman groaned first in discomfort, then in relief. "Kaz-"

"Just stay still for a while, Superman," she interrupted. "You'll be fine in a few seconds." And she was right. The pain was bearable now and disappeared moments later.

"Thank you," He said. He turned to the gathered crowd. "You have to get somewhere safe." He took to the air and Kazumi was right behind him. Jumping from rooftop to rooftop, Kazumi channeled some chakra into her left arm until several seals appeared. She bit her thumb and swiped the blood onto one of the seals. Her giant tessen appeared with a poof of smoke and she readied herself for battle.

With one hand, she held on to her tessen. With the other, she made hand seals. Superman was once again pushed away from the alien walker and that's when she struck. "Hyōton: Haryū Mōko," she whispered to the wind. Ice appeared beside her and formed a giant tiger with a slim dragon wrapped around it. The icy feline darted past her and charged at the alien walker.

Batman, meanwhile, had been firing missile after missile at the creature with little to no effect. It was as if the alien was invincible. He had seen Superman come at it with a blow that was strong enough to knock it off its legs but it wasn't enough to take it out. In the corner of his eye, he saw something pale blue and extremely big rush at the walker. The large cat left mini glaciers where its paws came into contact with the ground, creating a zigzag trail as it avoided the alien's attacks. The tiger and dragon opened their powerful jaws and bit down on what served as the walker's body and eye. Instead of tearing their respective mouthfuls to pieces, the animals melded with the alien and effectively turned it into a hideous giant ice sculpture.

Kazumi wasn't done with the walker just yet. As she neared the creature, she leapt high into the air. "Ōkamaitachi!" she yelled as she swung her tessen down hard at the machine. The wind picked up and one could actually see the air currents form and slash at the walker until what was left were mailbox-sized chunks of ice and parts. Despite the fierce attack, it made no damage to the bridge behind the walker.

She panted slightly as the near immortal kunoichi hadn't had a workout that intense for some time now. She ignored the cheering of the people around her as she was trying to get more air into her lungs. Everyone was amazed by the new superhero. She was young, about the same age as Central City's Flash but was able to take down an opponent that veterans like Superman and Batman had trouble with. Even Batman must have been impressed if the Batwing was just hovering in the air. Plus, she had a figure that most girls would kill for and most guys would have no problem staring at all day.

The ground shook again and everyone turned to the asteroid and saw that it was shaking. The rock let out more steam as more legs started to push out of it. Cursing violently, Kazumi made a cross-shaped hand seal and another of her poofed into existence. They sent chakra into their legs to increase their speed and reached the asteroid within seconds. They created more giant ice tigers and dragons to freeze the asteroid and then used their fans to destroy the frozen rock.

Kazumi was a bit winded; her clone was in the same state. The clone dispersed and the kunoichi began stretching to loosen muscle and chakra coils. She was tempted to release one of the nine power limiters she had on but decided against; perhaps later into this invasion but not now. '_I need to start training again_,' she thought. Her almost complete lack of training since the end of the Second World War had clearly made her unused to fighting and messed up her control over her jutsu to the point where she had to give it her full focus. '_It's not like I'll need many high-level jutsu on a few missions_,' she dryly mocked an old thought. '_Majority of the people in this dimension aren't insanely powerful and I'm not even thinking about being involved with super-powered people in tights_.'

She vaguely sensed Superman land gently behind her and offered a hand to help her up from the painful-looking split she was doing. As she reached up to take his hand, a burning pain tore through her skull. Images danced through her mind's eye almost too quickly for her to make sense of them. It stopped as quickly as it came. She saw that Superman was also on the ground. Superman took to the air as soon as he picked himself up. "Wanyūdō!" Kazumi screamed. Seeing as more meteorites were going to crash right in the middle of the city, she swore under her breath and made six thousand clones to combat the invaders and protect the civilians and injured. Most would be headed to other countries to help fight off any invaders and take care of the injured but at least a hundred would be left in Metropolis. All the clones nodded and Kazumi jumped up and gracefully entered the carriage. "Follow Superman," she told her friend. She barely acknowledged the arrival of military jets and the Batwing following them.

* * *

"After hours of intense battling, the heart of Metropolis lies in ruin," Snapper Carr reported. Although the news station was badly damaged, they were able to save enough equipment to broadcast to other cities. Behind him, a tank was destroyed by an energy beam. The image was supplied by a strange mark that one of the masked woman's clones had placed when some of the city's people tried sneaking out to know what's happening. "The military has arrived but seems unable to stop the deadly attacks. Right now, the civilians of Metropolis and injured soldiers are taking refuge in a safe house made by a still nameless superheroine." The cameraman made a sweep of the protected area and saw many adults watching the wall were the image of their once beautiful city was on. Among them were Lex Luthor and Lois Lane, who were staring intently at the image. On either side of the room was an opening to another room where more people were. One had small children, their parents and those who don't wish to see what is happening to their home while the other is where the critically injured or weakened due to their captivity were being taken care of. Harried clones of the silver-haired heroine were scattered around the rooms doing what they can to treat the wounded, reunite families and comfort the many who feared for their lives.

The cameraman refocused on Snapper and the image just in time to see a silver-haired masked woman attack a walker. "A small fraction of the... shadow clones of this new heroine and two of her masked associates are currently here in the safe house doing what they can to keep civilians and injured soldiers safe while others are helping the military fight off these invaders, and securing civilians still outside and from nearby cities. Earlier, another of her associates arrived with weakened military officers. He confirmed that aliens have infiltrated a military base in Colorado."

One of the clones tapped Snapper on the shoulder and asked everyone if they wanted to know how other countries were faring. When they accepted, she made movements with her hands before pressing them on the image. The image now showed the Eiffel Tower on fire with more alien walkers attacking the city. The image switched from Paris to Cairo, to a jungle in Malaysia and to other countries, such as Japan, Russia and Brazil; all of which were also being attacked. In all the images, more clones of the heroine were fighting the invaders. "Are these happening right now?" Snapper asked the clone with dread.

Her violet eyes full of sadness. "I am afraid so. Taisho, the real one and our boss, went to those places some time ago and placed monitoring seals or markings in case those places needed aid. These are what they are seeing right now. She sent the other clones to each location to protect the people and fight the invaders."

"Can't she make more clones to fight?" someone in the crowd asked.

The clone shook her head. "All of us, including Taisho, have an equal amount of energy. The more there are of us, the less energy a single one has to heal and fight. The clones also send their memories to Taisho when they're dispelled and the strain of having her mind assaulted by all the memories due too many clones being dispelled is... difficult to handle to say the least. Six thousand is as many as she dares to make when there's so many fights around the globe."

The reporter asked where the original and Superman went. "They are finally with humankind's only hope," she said mysteriously. Before she could be questioned, more injured soldiers were brought in and she left to assist in healing them.

* * *

_Earlier_

Batman barely took in the sights of the Rocky Mountains as he followed the trail of Superman and Kazumi. He knew that Superman was fast but he was surprised that Wanyūdō was able to keep up for an hour. He scanned the ground and was puzzled by the amount of damage there was. Broken tanks, trucks and weapons littered the ground.

He almost missed Wanyūdō racing through the air at an almost unimaginable speed; the carriage seemed much bigger than usual. The door to the carriage was open and he got a glance of the half-dressed figures of military personnel inside. No doubt he was heading back to Metropolis to care for them as it was currently their most prepared safe house. The Dark Knight hoped that no one recognized his face on the wheel.

He landed in the military base built into the side of the mountain range. There was more damage here: destroyed guard towers, more abandoned tanks and vehicles and leveled buildings. Batman followed the path of destruction to a huge hole in the wall until he came to a room with several sacs sliced open. He could just hear the sound of something pounding on metal when he entered the room.

Kazumi was leaning against a wall. Her labored breathing could just be heard over the pounding. She had been feeling small amounts of chakra come back to her since they got to the base. '_So more asteroids landed in other countries_,' she thought. '_At least they're far from the safe houses_.' While she was glad that she had some of her chakra back, it also meant that the battles weren't going so well if some of her clones were being dispelled. Also, the strain of receiving the information from different battles all over the world was taking its toll and making her head pound like there was an insane drummer on crystal meth in her skull.

"Will he be able to get all of them back to Metropolis?" he asked the kunoichi. He had wanted to interrogate Kazumi about what happened outside but the obvious pain on her face made him rethink his approach.

"Yeah. Wanyūdō should get there in about twenty minutes since I told him not to slow down for anything and there should be no enemies in his way. Also, more asteroids landed in Metropolis and other countries and my clones are barely able to hold their ground. " She turned her head to him. "I'll follow you once this passes. Just follow the sound if you're looking for Superman."

The Dark Knight nodded. He walked to the next room and saw him slamming his fist into a thick door. "Hold it, Superman!" Batman demanded. "Destroying government property isn't your style."

"We didn't have time to go through the proper channels and they wouldn't listen to us when we told them that we needed to get into the base." He ripped off the metal door and led Batman through a room lined with control panels with another door at the end, which Superman made quick work of. It revealed a cavernous room with a large machine confining a tall green man with an elongated head, spindly limbs and a plated chest. Superman approached the control console and threw the levers. The machine released the Martian from his bonds and Superman caught him before he hit the floor and helped him to his feet.

"The Martian, I presume."

Kazumi staggered into the room with a wry smirk. "Got it in one, Koumori-san." Batman stood beside her in case she needed support to lean on. "Nice to finally meet you, J'onn J'onzz."

'The pleasure is mine, Kazumi. I would have preferred it if we had met in more favorable circumstances though,' he replied telepathically.

"Shit happens."

'Indeed.' He shook hands with Kazumi and offered one to Batman.

He regarded the green man warily and didn't take it. "Don't take it personally, J'onn. He doesn't trust anyone," Superman said, trying to apologize for Batman's rudeness.

'A wise policy,' he replied. 'Perhaps this will help.' His body smoothly shifted until his head became less pointed and his limbs thickened. His plated chest smoothened into that of a muscular man and a blue cape, boots and shorts held together by red belts and yellow clasps appeared. Batman gave no reaction, but Kazumi did frown a bit when J'onn changed his features in an attempt to fit in. She had to let it go though since other people wouldn't be as accepting as her.

"We'll need to contact the Joint Chiefs right away," he said as they stepped out of the hole in the wall.

Searchlights glared down on them as soon as they left the building and the heroes found themselves surrounded by armed soldiers and tanks. "Stop right there, Superman!" the gruff voice of a strict looking colonel said. "You're trespassing in restricted area. Our orders are to keep that freak here."

The Kryptonian stepped in front of J'onn. "Wait! I'll vouch for him. You must let us go." Kazumi discreetly prepared herself for battle. She caught Batman's eye and saw him and J'onn getting ready as well. The colonel rejected Superman. "But the world's security is at stake."

"That's why he'll never leave here alive." The colonel and all the soldiers shifted until they resembled the alien dog from the abandoned lab. They were sickly pale and covered with black, grey and red patches. They had longer torsos and necks with no individual identifying features. They advanced towards the four.

One thought went through Kazumi's mind. '_This is not good_...'


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Doubts and Determination

Kazumi quickly pushed Batman and J'onn away as the aliens opened fire. She got hit in the shoulder before she jumped out of the way while Superman got hit in the chest by several blasts and caused him to be blown back into a tank. Kazumi stuck to the wall by applying chakra to her feet. Pain rushed through her nerves as red blood escaped through the gaping hole in her shoulder. Kazumi tried to stem the bleeding with her right hand.

The epidermis healed quickly but it would take a while for her to be able to use her left arm. The kunoichi's pupils slitted in anger and she raised her right hand in front of her. "Chi no Bakuhatsu." The blood in her hand danced in the air and formed a little ball, which she immediately threw at the gathered aliens. The dark red ball created a big explosion and sent aliens flying away from the epicenter. The Jūbi smirked as a path to the Batwing was cleared. She cut off her chakra from her feet and dropped to the ground.

She saw J'onn take a hit for Batman and rushed to their side. Superman shielded them with the tank he had crashed into and told them to get J'onn to safety. Batman half-carried half-dragged the Martian to the Batwing while Kazumi healed his wounds. As soon as J'onn was in the backseat of the jet and as comfortable as possible, Batman took off with Kazumi crouching on a wing. Superman followed not long after throwing the tank at the regrouping squadron and causing another explosion.

"That was close," Batman said as they soared through the air. He had dealt with crime lords, genetically altered humans, magicians, a deranged clown and their many lackeys with relative ease but, if he was honest with himself, aliens with advanced technology and mind reading and shape shifting abilities were slightly out of his league.

Kazumi knocked on the hydraulic canopy and pointed just as the Martian warned that they weren't safe yet. Dozens of fighter jets with the same color scheme as the aliens flew towards then and started firing as soon as they were in range. With a nod from the young woman on his wing, Batman guided his own jet around the blasts. He was mindful of Kazumi. Though he knew that she was able to stick to surfaces with her chakra, he doubted she had experience sticking to a jet while it swerved, rolled and turned sharply to dodge attacks from aliens. However, he would say that she was enjoying the ride from the wide grin on her face.

Kazumi created a clone that situated herself on the other wing and both of them flipped open their weapon pouches and took out several kunai. Channeling wind chakra into them, the two kunoichi let them fly. They used chakra thread to guide them and slice through the fighter jets. The feeling of wind rushing through her hair was invigorating. Slashing at the alien fliers made them explode, satisfied her slightly vindictive side and helped give her left shoulder some exercise after it healed. The kunoichi would have been having the time of her life if the very real threat of her friends getting hurt weren't an issue. Still, even with what she and Superman (who rammed through them) were doing, the aliens were getting to close for comfort and a few beams came close enough to singe the kunoichi's clothes. She had seen Superman take a hit and go down so she was left to destroy the aliens on her own.

In an effort to lose the rest of the jets, Batman flew through a winding and narrow valley. Some crashed into the rocks as they weren't as skilled a pilot as Batman. At one point, it became impossible for Kazumi and her clone to stick to the Batwing without getting smeared on the cliff side. They jumped off and ran the side of the valley wall, whipping around their improvised rope darts and avoiding plasma blasts. They were able to destroy some of the jets before they flew out of the valley. Unfortunately, one got a lucky shot and hit the Batwing's wing, causing it to spiral out of control. "Batman! J'onn!" Kazumi and her clone leapt from ledge to ledge to reach them, taking out more alien jets as she did.

She spotted a green beam of light heading towards the Batwing. The light surrounded the jet before catching it. She saw the figure of a man in a mostly black spandex costume trying to guide the damaged jet to an outcropping. The name Green Lantern came to mind. When the enemy started to fire at him, another figure, female and with grey wings, appeared and took jet after jet down with a mace crackling with electricity.

When Batman was safely on the outcropping, the four flying heroes gathered before separating to destroy the enemy. Her clone reached the Batwing first and checked on the occupants of the sleek black jet before launching into the air to destroy a fighter jet with a chakra-infused kunai and to take a shot that would have destroyed the Batwing and her friends. Jets exploded as they vainly fought them and the sky was illuminated like it was the Fourth of July. The kunoichi fought her way to the Batwing's side to protect them. She reached him just as a flaming fighter jet was about to crash onto the outcropping he was on. "Fūton: Daitoppa!" A great gust of wind blew the jet away from them and into another.

John Stewart saw the young girls while he was battling another alien jet. He wondered what kids were doing here and stayed close in case the rookie needed help. He almost had a heart attack when one of them got hit by a plasma beam and sighed in relief when the girl simply vanished into smoke. After seeing the other girl take out jets as she raced to Batman with ease, he focused his attention to Hawkgirl as she was a short-range fighter and was a more vulnerable target than he or Superman. The Green Lantern was just in time to shield her and another woman from a crashing jet. "Who're the rookie with the tiara and the kid with white hair and what happen to the other kid?"

Superman, who was about to toss another jet, answered. "I don't know the first but the Kazumi is one of Batman's acquaintances and she has an ability to make copies of herself that disappear if they get hit." He threw it into the side of a mountain, destroying the last of the alien fighters. Superman knew that, while most of them barely met, all of them fought well as a team.

As they flew to Batman, they noticed a red blur carrying the missing piece of the Batwing. "Hey, Bats! You dropped this," he said with a wide grin and handed him his stabilizer. He saw the detective's companion and his mind stopped in his tracks. '_She's hot_...' he thought as she looked over Kazumi. Flash was known for being a young, cocky and flirtatious hero; it was simply his nature. Like most self-assured men, he did what came naturally. "Whoa! Where have you been all my life?" The scarlet speedster wrapped an arm around her slim waist and held her close.

A pale eyebrow twitched in irritation, which went unnoticed by Flash. She angrily removed his gloved hand from her waist and gracefully tossed him over her shoulder. "Waiting for you to grow up, Hotshot. I see I still have a bit of waiting left." After glaring at the masked hero for flirting with her like she was nothing more than a fan girl, she held out a hand to help him up with a smile. "Kazumi. Pleased to meet you, Flash."

Flash was in a daze as he grasped her hand. Despite their gloves being in the way, he could tell that hers was soft and obviously strong. He could feel a blush starting to form before he took a deep breath and relaxed himself. "Nice to meet you," he replied as he got to his feet. '_It's not often I get swept off my feet_,' he pondered wryly. '_Usually it's the other way around_.'

Soon, the rest of the heroes joined them and introductions were given and Superman started to weld the stabilizer back on the Batwing. Any injuries they had were promptly healed after receiving a glare that made Batman proud of. "What of your own injury?" Diana asked gently, seeing the drying blood on her clothes. She sensed that Kazumi was a warrior like herself and cared for her comrades more than her own wellbeing.

She lifted up her bloodied sleeve to show her uninjured arm. "Never better," she said with a grin. Somehow, her arm had received enough damage to bleed heavily while her clothes only got away with being stained by her blood (1). "Still, I doubt everyone is here to enjoy the scenery of burning alien fighter jets. Why's everyone else here?

J'onn explained that he telepathically summoned everyone here and who the invaders were. No one, not even the impatient Flash, interrupted to give the Martian civilization the respect it deserved. As J'onn finished his story, Flash spoke out. "Wait. Those astronauts never said anything about finding life on Mars."

John snorted. "Some pencil pusher in Washington probably decided that it should be classified information."

"Umm..." Kazumi was uneasy. The rest of the group heard her. She looked at Batman and received a nod. "Actually, the astronauts were ambushed by the invaders while they were on Mars and they stole their identity. I asked my cousin to spy on Carter and discovered that he was one of them after the World Assembly meeting and he talked about this 'Imperium' guy."

"Senator Carter is involved in this conspiracy?!" Superman helped the man and believed that what he had planned was for the benefit of the entire world. "He asked for my help to disarm the warheads! Why wasn't I told sooner?"

Batman explained, "We didn't have proof other than a lab technician and his family's word. He was one of the astronauts who went on the mission to Mars. No doubt the invaders impersonated the astronauts on the mission to get to Earth and leave us without a means to protect ourselves."

Diana, who had trouble understanding most of the words being said, nonetheless understood that Superman was tricked into helping the invaders they had been told about. She placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "You did what you thought was in everyone's best interest. You are not at fault."

"We've got to stop them before it's too late!" John said angrily. Because of his duties as Green Lantern, he had to leave his home planet for extended periods of time but that did not mean that he would stand idly as his home was taken over by another race. With his experience in intergalactic disorder, he already made plans to lead the others in the fight.

"It may already be too late."

"J'onn has a point. More asteroids crashed in Metropolis and other countries across the globe and my clones are having a hard time fighting back," Kazumi declared. "I'll explain later but we have to-" She cut herself off midsentence and turned her head so fast, the others heard her neck crack. She ran to the edge of the outcropping and stared in the direction of Metropolis. "J'onn, did those asteroids grow into freaky-looking factories that pump out smog?"

"...Yes. The aliens are nocturnal and need to blot out the sun from a planet if they are to take over completely and live in perpetual darkness." Pointing out in the distance where her current home lay, Kazumi directed everyone's attention to the growing cloud, looking like it was trying to eat the sky.

Flash, feeling that the atmosphere was getting too bleak to be healthy, watched everyone's faces. GL was angry that something like this was happening, most likely because he didn't expect anything like this to happen on Earth. Hawkgirl seemed just as mad. J'onn and Batman were as stoic as ever but even he could tell that they were worried. Superman and Diana were aghast at the news. It was Kazumi's expression that surprised him though. She looked at the cloud with neither anger nor anxiety. The only thing one could see on her face was determination and defiance.

Instead of poking fun at the seriousness of the situation, Flash walked up to J'onn. "What's the big problem? Can't you just whip up another batch of that nerve gas? If it worked once, it can work again, right?"

"Unfortunately, no. The gas can only be made from a rare Martian plant. I brought a sample with me but it was destroyed when I was captured."

"Then we'll just have to take out those factories the old fashion way," Hawkgirl declared.

"I'm up for it."

"I shall assist in any way I can."

John glared at the two. "Hold it, you two! This is no job for amateurs. It's best if you two stay behind and take care of the civilians."

Kazumi and Diana glared at the ex-Marine. "We Amazons are warriors born! Want to test me?"

"And I've been fighting in battles centuries before your great grandparents were even in diapers!" Kazumi had dealt with the social stigma of being female for centuries and being young more times than she'd care to remember. "I will not let a pompous, overbearing chauvinist pig of a Marine tell me what to do when I have more experience under my belt!"

Superman stepped between the three before Kazumi put Green Lantern in traction. He placed a hand on Kazumi's shoulder in case he needed to hold her back. "Let's not fight amongst ourselves," he said in a consoling voice. "I can support Kazumi's claim of being able to hold her own and having a medic would help a lot. We need all the help we can get."

"Fine," John replied with much contempt. "Sorry, ladies." He stormed off to glare at the growing ion cloud.

Wonder Woman clenched her fist hard. '_Is this how maidens are treated in Man's World_?' A hand gently covered hers and she saw the other scorned woman gently look at her. "Not all men are like that, Diana-hime," she whispered. "Besides, he just wants to protect his home and is being more than a little prissy." The Amazon nodded in understanding. The captains of Themyscira act in a similar manner with an overzealous trainee.

"Tactically," John addressed the group, "we have multiple objectives so we'll need to split into teams."

"No. It's best if we attack one factory at a time," Kazumi interrupted. "The only one who has sufficient information is J'onn and they've had two years to prepare so most of what he knows might be outdated."

John glared at who he thought was a little upstart. "It would take too long to take them out one by one."

"And we have no idea what defenses they have in there! We could very well be walking into a trap and get ourselves killed," she angrily countered. "At the very least let me contact my cousin and have him scout the factories in Metropolis. Having even the most basic schematics of a factory will be beneficial."

"She has a point, Lantern. Her family is good at what they do," Batman's deep voice spoke before the Green Lantern could say anything. The Dark Knight turned to Kazumi. "I trust he won't get caught again."

"My family doesn't make the same mistake twice."

Green Lantern reluctantly consented with the condition that she would contact the telepath if she learned anything significant. He partnered up with Flash to take care of the factory in Malaysia despite the young hero wanting to go with either Kazumi or the Amazon. ("But, GL," he practically whined. "Kazumi needs to get to Metropolis fast and Diana needs a crash course in everything." He was hit over the head by the irate African-American.) Diana, J'onn and Batman were to hit Egypt while Superman and Hawkgirl were to go to Japan. ("Boy Scout, you'll distract Ren if you bust into a factory in Metropolis." was the reason Kazumi gave him on why he can't protect his city.)

She stared at the specks that were some of Earth's strongest heroes as they flew to their destinations. She called for Wanyūdō to pick her up and planned her strategy. She knew that after the clones had secured the people, all but fifteen in each safe house would head back to the battle. The clones in the other countries were holding their own for now but only half of the fighters in Metropolis were left.

'_I'll have to dispel the ones in the Metropolis and its safe house and make more_,' she decided. She thought about going into her Jūbi form since a giant ten-tailed fox would cause a lot of panic but decided against it since she wanted a distraction, not a mushroom cloud in the middle of a city. She sighed and wished that the summons in her world were still available to her. Unfortunately, they were some of the first to be affected by the effects of the war. Gamabunta would have made the walkers and anything else they had focus on him. She was also fairly sure that Flash would have enjoyed a ride on the toad boss. The kunoichi blushed hard at that thought. '_Why am I thinking about him_?' she asked herself. '_We technically just met. Besides, I'm on a mission right now and the world's at stake. And then there's the fact that I'm immortal. But then... he's still the same person I met a long time ago more or less (2)... and his hand is as warm as ever... and I bet he's also cute underneath that mask_...'

She was so deep in thought that she didn't notice her grandfather figure and transport had arrived with his face masked and had been calling her name for the past two minutes. He had to nudge her with his shafts to jolt her from her thoughts. "Are you all right, Jou-chan?" She hastily answered and apologized for ignoring him. As they flew over Illinois, Wanyūdō wondered about what his granddaughter was thinking about so intently. It couldn't be about battle strategies like she said since she's not one to blush over them. He brushed that thought aside and informed Kazumi about what's happening in the safe house. "The others decided that using our names and normal appearances would be a bad idea. Ren and Tsuyu are Sekkou (spy) and Kosshi (bones). They called me Keigo (bodyguard) but they can't decided between Megami (goddess) or Kanzeon (Japanese goddess of mercy) for you and want you to decide."

Her eye twitched at that. "They can't be serious," she criticized. She was annoyed that she had to choose between being named a goddess and being named after a goddess. '_This is going to suck_.'

Keigo flew through a barrier that kept the plasma blasts from harming what was inside. When they landed, Kazumi inspected Wanyūdō's appearance. "You look like a robot samurai in a trench coat," she commented; the whole name issue had put her in a slightly bad mood. As the three have the ability to change how they look, they opted to disguise themselves as Kazumi did. He wore a burnt red samurai helmet that covered the top part of his face by a metal mask except for horizontal slits for the eyes. It was decorated by a slender piece of metal shaped like a shallow V and a bright yellow circle resting in the angle. He wore red armor under the tan trench coat and fitted black pants with burnt red plating. He had burnt red metal gloves that had spikes on the knuckles and dark shoes. He also changed his body type and apparent age so he was much taller, bulkier and younger than what he usually looked like.

"You know very well I prefer traditional clothes." Kazumi continued to sulk.

Kazumi pressed her hand on a seal engraved on a building on the edge of the city; this made a doorway with a long corridor. They passed by a section of the passage where a long series of seals drawn on the walls, floor and ceiling and reached near the end of the hall. As the alien invaders could shape shift, these were necessary in order to protect the civilians and injured. One of her clones had retrieved a sample of the alien dog and found a unique and highly combustible fluid, which made up most of their gelatinous bodies. Should a disguised alien reach the seals, the seals would cause the fluid to burst into flames. Being cooked from the inside out would make them return to their normal appearances before killing them. It had happened several times until the alien impersonating Senator Carter got away and informed the rest of the invaders.

Each safe house was technically a pocket dimension with a single entrance. Supplies and facilities such as food, water and bathrooms, were available for herself and her family. It had been small when it was just the four of them however her clones had reworked the seals of the pocket dimension to expand the safe house. Because of the lack of time, there were just three white-walled rooms, a large walk-in storage room and a communal bathroom and kitchen. The supplies were thankfully kept fresh with more seals and, out of boredom, she and her family had been adding to their supplies since they first made safe houses, so there was enough to last the residents for a while. The other safe houses were not as well stocked as this one but the clones were taking care of the people's needs well enough for the time being.

As she opened the door to the infirmary room, Kazumi was assaulted by the many thanks of injured soldiers and civilians. She froze up when an overjoyed mother hugged her and repeatedly thanked her for saving her babies and some children hugged her legs while thanking her and saying how scared they were. Others were crowded around her and cheering or giving their thanks.

She blushed violently and turned to Kosshi. "Keigo told everyone he was going to pick you up," the older woman said. Kosshi was in a sleeveless pale blue kimono lined with lavender and had violet flowers scattered about. She wore a formfitting fishnet shirt underneath. Both tops were backless to allow her access to her spine, which could be used as a whip. She had a dark violet obi (sash) secured with a red obijime (string). A sheathed kodachi hung at her side. The long slits on either side of the kimono showed of her shapely legs, which were clad in dark blue leggings. She wore a dark blue facemask like Kazumi's. Her dark purple hair was in a messy bun and had a kanzashi (needle-like hairpin) topped with cute cartoon-like skull wearing a pink ribbon.

She nodded, still feeling awkward because of the people hugging her. The woman had started crying hysterically at some point so Kazumi did what she hoped was natural and patted her on the back and comforted one of the crying children by petting his head. Because of their differences, her family had a cycle of isolating themselves from the masses and overcompensating to the point of being clingy to the few precious people they made outside of the family. It affected all of them but it was Kazumi who became the most out of touch with people. Also, most people who had become important in her life were hardly prone to hysterical crying.

The woman tightened her hold on her a bit before letting go. It took a bit more convincing to get the kids to let go of her though. By the time she managed, Kazumi was pretty sure that people in the last room could see the tomato that was her face right now. A shy tug garnered her attention and she saw a cute little girl who raised her hands to be picked up. She did so and the little girl asked, "Are you from heaven?"

If anything, this question made Kazumi wonder how her hair hadn't caught fire because of the heat from her face. "W-Why would y-you say that?"

"Because the pretty lady and the scarf man were talking about giving you a name and I asked what they meant," she replied. "The big man said that they were in Japanese and that they're names of people who come from heaven," the little blonde girl finished. She waited for the nice lady to answer her. At this, the three yōkai busied themselves even though there was nothing to be done.

She glared at her three friends, making sure the girl in her arms didn't see her do so. "_You three are in so much trouble after we kick pasty alien_..." She glanced around and noticed the number of little kids in the room before glaring at her family again, "_behinds_." They gulped.

"I like Megami," the little girl interrupted oblivious to the tension between the four, now bolder seeing as how the silver-haired woman was really nice if a little weird. "It's easier to say and it's really cute." She smiled so sweetly that Kazumi didn't have the heart to outright say no.

"I'll think about it." She forced the words out of her mouth. The girl smiled happily and went back to her mother.

Pushing aside her embarrassment and irritation, Kazumi grabbed Sekkou's attention. "_I need you to scout the inside the factory. The Martian said that the invaders copied their mind reading abilities from his people so I want you to meditate as you scout it_," she instructed. "_The rest of us will cause a distraction outside so their attention will be on us_." Sekkou nodded and sat in a corner where he would be given some privacy.

Scanning the room one last time, she had the clones dispelled before making fewer but more powerful clones. "Let's go!" Most of her clones, Keigo and Kosshi left as soon as the word was given. "We'll get your home back," she said to the people. She was the last to leave.

They trickled out of the portal and snuck around buildings while the fighters and Kosshi charged head first into battle while Keigo was to fly around and bring any injured soldiers back to the safe house. She and a handful of clones transformed into insects to scout the area. Over the years, she had reworked countless jutsu to suit her needs; the Henge no Jutsu, for example, could not just be an illusion anymore but an actual transformation if she put enough chakra into it. Half of them were disguised as flies while others transformed into ants. The flies flew closer to the factory and landed just beside the drill. The ants on their backs quickly crawled off and into the many cracks on the road to see what it's drilling up and how to destroy it. Meanwhile, the flies would circle around the factory itself and see if there was any way to enter it through there or how to stop the drill. If worse comes to worse and she can't find a way to stop the factory itself, stopping the drill would be a good alternative as they obviously needed something to create the ion cloud overhead. Without the drill to supply the factory with materials, the factory will have to stop.

The clones soon found that there was no way to enter through the drill and it seemed too strong to destroy with anything less than an A-rank jutsu. There were no openings outside but the wall seemed hollow so a strong enough hit should be able to break a wall open or drill a hole through with enough force. Lastly, they were harvesting material from the earth itself to produce the cloud. If the cloud needed to be replenished continuously once it fully forms, the very ground the factory stands on could become unstable (3).

She immediately contacted J'onn and told her what she found out. She was told to get back to her spy so the Martian would be able to find him more easily by using her as a reference point. With her main objective done, she dispelled the scouts. She watched Kosshi and her clones fight the walkers; one of which lost its legs when Kosshi used her spine as a razor sharp whip (4). She slipped away once she was sure that Kosshi was able to stay safe.

She approached Ren and waited for him to come out of his meditative trance. Usually, it was fine for her to disturb him when he meditated but since he was spying on beings that could detect him should he think of something, meditating was the only defense he had against being found out. After a few minutes, Ren started to come out of his trance-like state.

Megami saw this and contacted J'onn again. 'J'onn, Ren has the information on the factory.' There was no answer for a while. 'J'onn?'

'I apologize, Kazumi. I was scouting the area for a vulnerable location to attack.'

'It's all right.' She gave him a mental image of Ren's new appearance so J'onn could connect with the tsukumogami's mind more easily. His midnight black hair was held back in a long low ponytail while a dark red scarf served as a makeshift mask to cover the lower part of his face while a chain necklace with the symbol of Konohagakure was around his neck. He wore a gray muscle shirt with a picture of a serpentine dragon in a darker shade of gray. Over that, he had a robe that opened until his waist, which secured by scarf belt. He also wore tight black pants and boots like her own. A katana and a wakizashi were by his sides. Once that was done, Kazumi continued. 'Please be careful. I have a feeling they're planning something big.'

'Very well,' he replied. 'I've informed the others. Lantern wants you to continue what you are doing and wait for the others inside the safe house. He and Flash have just arrived in Malaysia. Superman and Hawkgirl breached their factory and we are about to do the same. We'll meet you there once we've done what we can.' He also sent the information Sekkou found out to her.

'_So the factory is basically made of interconnected paths with the power source right in the middle. There are armed patrols but their movements are sporadic. The lowest part of the factories is where the walkers are coming from and they don't have any jets but the big platform right next to the core has enough space for a decent-sized ship to land and the room has a number of captives. I can't tell if there are any traps inside though but there has to be if they've prepared for two years_.'

As she felt the mental connection sever, Kazumi thought about everything that's happened so far. In a few short hours, she went from a college girl with no real friends to a nameless yet adored superheroine. She wondered if they would have to leave Metropolis so soon after making a home here. No doubt people would harass them once they find out exactly what she and her family were because they were 'abominations to humanity.' After all, the Western civilization had a completely different understanding of demons and the three people who have kept her from falling apart were yōkai. They would also mistrust her as she was technically an immortal being who could level a small country in a single day. It would be Konoha all over again where she'd either be scorned by the people or lynched.

She groaned and hugged her knees. Kazumi knew since she was twelve years old that she was by no means normal but she never expected her life to become this complicated. Kazumi was prepared to fight whatever enemy she had to if it meant she could protect her precious people but fighting an entire alien race for the good of the planet was a new one for her. However, it was, for better or worse, her home now. Still, she wanted nothing more than to join the rest of her people in death. She was so very tired.

She felt a small hand pat her head and she looked up. It was the little girl again and this time, she brought an even younger boy version of herself with a fluffy brown teddy bear in his arms. "My baby brother wants to thank you for helping him too."

She gently pushed the boy closer to her and he held out his toy. "Tank you. No more sad, kay?" He hid behind his sister as she took the bear.

She smiled at the pair and gave each of them a hug. "Thank you." She handed Sekkou the bear. "Take care of him for me." She quickly left the safe house with more determination in her steps. She'd protect them, especially if the people here were as open-minded as those kids. She smiled a bit. '_Maybe things will be different here_.'

She hoped everyone else was faring well before concentrating on fighting the walkers. They chose to build a handful of factories in Metropolis for a reason and knew that she needed to get inside somehow but a frontal assault would alert them to her presence. She'd have to wait for an opportunity to enter, most likely when whatever aircraft they were expecting came. All she and her clones had to do was wait close by under a Henge and make sure she doesn't get caught.

* * *

Superman had a lot of nervous energy to burn off. It wasn't that he was anxious about attacking the factory; he dealt with much more terrifying enemies. He was worried about Metropolis. Although he knew that Kazumi had everyone in a safe house, he still worried since it would take months for everything to begin to return to normal. His worry and anxiety just pushed him to finish this quickly.

With Hawkgirl's and the clones' help, they finally managed to take out all the walkers. The Thanagarian pounded the last one with her mace to make sure it wouldn't get up anytime soon. The factory lay between what used to be towering skyscrapers. He chopped off the leg of a walker and hurled it towards the factory like a javelin. The impact punched a hole in the wall, allowing the two heroes to fly in.

The interior was odd. It looked like the building was made of organic matter instead of metal and glass. Ignoring the creepy décor, Superman and Hawkgirl scanned their surroundings. Hawkgirl tightened her grip on her mace as they walked deeper into the mazelike factory. Adrenaline pumped through her veins as she watched her surroundings. Nothing she saw was familiar to her and that was incredibly nerve-wracking.

The very moment she and Superman encountered the invaders, she launched herself at them without even waiting for Superman to finish speaking. She took them out within seconds and was sure she splattered one against a wall. Seeing the amazed look on the Man of Steel's face, she questioned, "What? There's a time for words and a time for action."

The Kryptonian wondered if all the women he was associated with were intense in their own way. His mother and Lana were outspoken, stubborn and brave. Next, Lois was competitive, aggressive and strong. Now, he was working with Kazumi, Diana and Hawkgirl to save the planet from alien invaders. Still, he pushed aside his thoughts for the moment as he flew next to Hawkgirl. They landed in a cavern that was supposed to take them straight to the control room if Ren's information applied to all the factories. "Are you always so eager to fight?" he asked when she made a comment of the enemy being close by.

A harder look was in her eyes as she answered. She envied the fairly peaceful lives the people here have. They didn't have to worry constantly about surviving or if the people they care about were in danger. They had superheroes and willing soldiers to protect and die for them if need be.

Before anything else could be said, they once again were ambushed by the invaders. The plasma blasts almost took their heads off if they hadn't moved away in time. They turned in time to see aliens rushing out of the room. Hawkgirl flew at them in a rage but was forced to stop when a membrane grew where a corridor used to be. The same happened with the one they used to enter the room. A yellow gas started seeping through the walls and Hawkgirl coughed and choked as she fell to the ground.

Superman quickly turned to the membrane behind him, intent on ripping it off the wall to get Hawkgirl out. As soon as his hands were on the membrane, searing jolts of electricity coursed through him. It forced him to let go of the wall and collapse beside Hawkgirl. He was dimly aware of the noxious gas filling the airtight room. It wasn't long before he and Hawkgirl lost consciousness.

Minutes later, the membranes shrank back and revealed three aliens speaking to one another in their harsh language. "_I'm surprised that Superman is in Yokohama instead of his city_."

"_Our people there said that others are opposing them and are fairly efficient in doing so. We've lost nearly sixty walkers because of them. The silver-haired girl is the one who gives them the most problems though she didn't attack the factories yet for some reason_."

"_In any case, we must to transport these two back to Metropolis. The Imperium sent word that he wishes to have all the heroes present when he arrives_," the last said. Two of them carried the Kryptonian while the other carried Hawkgirl over his shoulder. They were carelessly dumped into a pod-like ship. Their transports were fast enough to get them back to Metropolis in a little over an hour. The capture or termination of the other nuisances was not going as well as they'd hope but at least none of the factories had been taken down yet. It was only a matter of time before the invasion was successful.

* * *

(1) Why don't cartoons and anime follow the laws of physics, chemistry, etc?

(2) I have something planned in a future chapter

(3) I suck in chemistry so I'm not sure if this is true.

(4) Tsuyu, Wanyūdō and Ren will be able to use jutsu that compatible with them. E.g. Tsuyu can do jutsu that uses bones. Wanyūdo can use Katon jutsu and Ren can use dōjutsu.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Fight and Payback

A few miles outside of Metropolis, the sub-station was finally rebuilt and the satellite transmitter up and running. Howard was one of the few non-combatants outside the safe house. In a rare act of bravery, he had agreed to head to the station and restart the deep-space monitoring network. Sekkou went with him both to protect him and to assist in reengaging the systems. They worked well together, almost as if the scarf-wearing man had worked with him before.

Pushing that thought aside, he sat before his control panel and waited for it to be functional. "This can't be right," he said aloud.

"What's wrong?" the information specialist asked. He had just come back from finalizing the repairs to the transmitter and scanning the area for any hostile entities.

"My readings are off the charts. Something's coming this way. Something really big."

The tsukumogami looked over Howard's shoulder. "It's coming in fast and looks like it's going to land near the factories. We have to tell Jou-chan about this now." Howard agreed and sent the information to the government. He doubted they could do anything to stop whatever was coming but they still had to be warned and get the people to safety. The people of Metropolis can only stay in the safe houses for so long.

He hopped on to Sekkou's back and the other man ran at a pace that Olympic runners would be envious of. Trees and grass gave way to concrete within a few minutes. "Just who are you people?" the technician finally asked. He could feel that he knew Sekkou from somewhere before but, even when the other lowered the scarf from his face, he couldn't recognize him. The other reminded him of Ren but the only similarities they shared were their pale skin and dark hair. Sekkou's brownish red eyes were also a far cry from Ren's own green eyes.

As his ears were bombarded with rushing air, he didn't hear the amused huff. "_We're a family _(1). We're just doing the right thing and we'll keep doing it as long as there's something to protect."

"Kazoku?" Howard knew next to nothing about the Japanese language but he felt that that word was important.

"It means family. Jou-chan is my little sister and Keigo is our older brother figure. Kosshi, on the other hand... She is special to me in another manner. Though we're in no way related by blood, the bond between us is stronger and deeper than anything we've encountered in our existence. We fight and live together and, should one of us be in danger, we'd endanger our own lives for the other. That is who we are. No more, no less."

They soon reached the barrier and the blonde got off his companion's back. "There are times when we feel that all we're doing won't change anything; we're 'human' enough to have doubts. But there was always something that kept Jou-chan from letting go of the Will of Fire."

Seeing the confused look on Howard's face, he explained. "It's basically the same reason why you went to the sub-station when you could very well be killed. Jou-chan will love, cherish and fight to protect what she holds dear. She will do anything she can to protect those who need her; it's just who she is."

As Sekkou was about to place his hand on the seal, two figures flew into the barrier. Sekkou immediately pulled Howard behind him and took out his swords. J'onn had given him a mental image of the other heroes but one can't be too careful when the enemy can shape shift into anyone. He narrowed his eyes when the one who could be disguised as Diana raised her fists.

"Calm yourselves," The green-skinned alien said. "Sekkou, I trust your family has a way to distinguish friend from foe in the safe house?"

Sekkou lowered his swords slightly but always kept them trained on the two. "Of course, J'onn-san, and until I know you're not the invaders, you'll have to excuse my wariness, Diana-hime." He sheathed the shorter sword and pressed a hand on the seal. Sekkou instructed Howard to go in first while he backed up expertly, allowing the other two to follow them.

The technician almost ran to the other side of the corridor and waited for the three behind him. Sekkou backed up quickly and then sheathed his other sword once he reached the seals. Diana and J'onn followed the two; the seals didn't react at all. The brunette bowed to them. "I apologize for my earlier rudeness, J'onn-san, Diana-hime. But at times like this, freely inviting someone in would be a mistake."

Diana nodded in acceptance. She knew that times were incredibly dangerous and she was impressed by the measures Kazumi and her family took to protect the citizens. J'onn had supplied her with the basics of what the odd writing on the walls could do to the invaders should they approach it. The princess wondered if other people in Man's World had similar knowledge. She knew that her sisters would be as impressed as she was if they saw this.

"Flash and Lantern are coming soon, Sekkou. Is there anyway for them to come in without needing to disturb anyone," J'onn asked. He too wished that they had this art when his home world was invaded; the war could have gone in an entirely different direction if they did.

"Afraid not, J'onn. The seals are currently only keyed into the family's energy signatures right now. But Jou-chan's clones are also able to activate the seal." Howard entered infirmary without them at Sekkou's request and the new arrivals saw numerous ladies who looked exactly like Kazumi monitoring people in beds and healing the injured. A few more could be seen in the other rooms among the civilians making sure everyone was comfortable and not causing trouble. Another odd thing was that every woman had the exact same bloodstain on her shoulder.

One of them came over and practically manhandled J'onn when he refused to be treated for the slight burns he received. As his body was more resilient than a human's, those were all he received though being shot by their weaponry was still incredibly painful. "Easy. I think you did a bit more damage than the aliens," Sekkou said jokingly. Kazumi did nothing but glare as she concentrated on healing J'onn's injuries. As if summoned telepathically, Kosshi left the infirmary and slapped Sekkou upside the head.

Soon, Flash was being led into the safe house by a clone. Oddly enough, he seemed to be holding back his laughter. The clone stomped ahead of him, dragging someone wearing a black and green suit. He seemed fine other than the fact that he was unconscious from being hit on the head if the almost comical bump was an indication. "GL wouldn't let her check him over," he forced out between sniggers. Even the ever stoic Martian couldn't help but crack a smile when he saw the scene from the younger man's memory.

"I apologize for knocking out our comrade," the clone said. "But he was being a stubborn idiot so I had to take drastic measures." The other Kazumi nodded. As the shadow clones were basically Kazumi but with a more unstable body, each and every one of them have done the same. "I've already cleared his system of that gas the invaders use so he should be fine when he wakes up." She left afterwards, muttering about stubborn Marines with a pole in an uncomfortable place. Flash laughed out loud at that. GL woke up moments later.

The citizens of Metropolis were star struck at seeing the heroes just outside the room they were in. Flash and Green Lantern were famous after all. Diana was being stared at by most of the men in the room while others regarded J'onn with some amount of wariness. The only reason they had not been mobbed yet was because of the clones that were keeping them from leaving the safe house.

"Why'd you call everyone back, J'onn? And where's Batman, Boy Scout and Hawkgirl?" the first clone asked quietly to keep the people from panicking. While she might be the one they've been thanking over and over, she knew that Superman was the hero they put their trust in. "None of us can contact Taisho right now." She had informed J'onn that a clone was able to sneak into every factory except the biggest one. The last was more heavily guarded and had more defenses than the others so the original had to go in herself after dispelling most of the fighters. The real Kazumi had to wait until a pod-like ship appeared and the roof opened to let it in. She snuck in and hid as soon as she was inside. She gave explicit instruction that none were to dispel or recklessly engage the enemy until she gave the order. They haven't heard from her after that.

"Superman and Hawkgirl have been captured," J'onn said. "Hawkgirl regained consciousness long enough to hear one of the invaders say that they were to be brought to Metropolis."

"It must be that ship Jou-chan saw," Kosshi said. "Sekkou!"

"On it!" He closed his eyes and empties his mind. His breathing slowed gradually and noise was blocked from his ears. His long dark bangs slid over his left eye on its own. Unknown to most of those in the corridor, Sekkou had projected his eye into the factory. Everything was starting to get a little hectic. The aliens ran around, not realizing that they were being spied on by a giant brownish red eye. He spotted Kazumi's silhouette creeping around while drawing seals. Her progress was quick as no one was really paying attention to the odd distortion she made on the walls. She looked to be heading to the central core as well. Almost next to the core were the unconscious figures of Superman and Hawkgirl. They looked like they were glued to the floor by their hands and feet.

He recalled his eye as soon as he found them. "Superman and Hawkgirl are in the central core. It almost looks like they're positioned that way for someone to look down on them from a raised platform. Jou-chan's seems to be making her way there but, even if it's her, I don't think she can rescue them alone without lots of damage and a high possibility of hurting them."

"OK, so we know where they are. Where's Bats?" Flash asked. Ever since, Kazumi's clone had pointed out that the team was missing a few members, he purposely kept his tone and body language light just to ease the tension coming from the Amazon and the Martian. "He's way too smart to get caught by those guys."

Diana clenched her fists hard while trying to keep tears from forming in her eyes. She barely knew the man. In fact, he aggravated her most of the time when they were in Egypt. He preferred sneaking around, giving orders and taking the most cautious route instead of facing what was in front of him with his bare hands. And yet, that part of him was also endeared him to her because he was protective of his allies. She opened her mouth several times but her voice just couldn't let her words be heard.

J'onn placed a hand on her shoulder. "There is nothing more we can do for him now."

The news shocked everyone. Though he didn't have any powers of his own, Batman was still among the greatest heroes of Earth. Though his personality was grim and serious at the best of times, Batman was still a beacon of hope for the people. Even among heroes like Flash, he was held in the highest regard. "The Bats' gone?"

"This is not good," Lantern declared. "Definitely not good."

"Regardless, we still have to stop the invaders," Kazumi said. She gave Flash a look of sorrow and understanding. "We will have time to grieve afterwards."

"We have to make plans to storm the factory. I'll have one of the others inform Keigo." Kosshi ran out of the safe house to find her friend.

Sekkou took a glance into the infirmary and saw several of those inside trying to eavesdrop. "Perhaps we should take this outside." He nodded his head towards the room before slowly ushering the other heroes outside. Kazumi hung back along with J'onn.

"You're hiding something," She told the older one. "Is Batman really gone?"

"I have done all I can for him," he replied.

Kazumi smiled. "_Sokka_ (I see). Tell him to be careful in making contact with Taisho. She doesn't know everyone's here." J'onn nodded.

* * *

Everyone was hunched behind some concrete chunks that surrounded the perimeter of the factories. "The plan should work," Green Lantern said. After leaving the safe house, Kazumi had told them of her plan and the team revised it until every possible situation was taken into account.

"Let's hope so," Flash commented. He ran out to the battlefield.

Kazumi was silent as she watched Kosshi and more clones fight more walkers. Kosshi was able to break a leg off while Flash directed it to fall into the factory wall much like how the one Diana fought in Egypt did. However, instead of entering the factory herself, she quickly jumped away from where she was and went to take out several patrols. The other factories were in similar condition as holes were being smashed in by Keigo, Sekkou and the other clones. As soon as Flash returned, she made some hand seals and cast a genjutsu to prevent the aliens from noticing them. "Let's go!"

They all ran into the factory, making sure to avoid the invaders that came rushing out to protect the factory. While the genjutsu could keep them from being seen by those who weren't paying attention to their surroundings, they were still solid and would draw attention if they were bumped into.

All was going well as they moved deeper into the factory, their environment looking more like the bowels of a creature than an architectural structure. Earlier they ran into a duo that was too vigilant to be fooled so they had to be taken care of directly by J'onn and Kazumi. "We are close now," the Martian stated. The Martian placed a hand on an odd section of the wall. "I sense that they are somewhere beyond these walls."

He moved aside. Diana and Kazumi tried to push down the wall but it barely budged. Punching it down or having Kazumi use one of her moves would cause too much noise and could cause the rescue mission to fail. "It's no use, we'll have to find another way."

John placed a hand on their shoulders and eased them out of the way. "Stand back." He fired his ring and made it cut through the wall. It was slow work but he was able to make a hole big enough for all of them to go through.

"Great Hera!" Hanging upside down from the ceiling were their friends.

As they moved closer to them, J'onn called out. "Wait! Something is not right." At that moment, Hawkgirl and Superman opened their blood red eyes. The hole John made quickly sealed up and yellow gas hissed into the room.

"It's a trap," The Green Lantern cried.

"No shit!" Kazumi couldn't help but answer back as she powered up a Rasengan and slammed it against the wall. The walls were thick and the gas was making her lose focus. Her Rasengan died before it could make more than a dent. Soon, they were knocked out by the gas. The forms of Superman and Hawkgirl came down from the ceiling and smirked. "_The Imperium will be pleased_." They shifted into their natural form and began carrying the fallen heroes out. Unknown to them, a small puff of white smoke was hidden by the slowly dissipating gas.

* * *

"J'onn. J'onn. Wake up." The Martian slowly regained consciousness and saw the Kryptonian beside him. He was restrained by the glue-like membrane just as they all were. "You shouldn't have risked your lives for us."

With a groan, Kazumi replied from somewhere behind them. "You'd have done the same, Boy Scout. Now keep it down. I have a headache." She looked around her and suppressed a grimace. "How long have we been out?" The others also started coming to.

Hawkgirl was struggling hard and answered between grumbles. "About half an hour."

Before anything more could be said, one of the aliens started to shift. "Earth's mightiest heroes... Welcome." The invader turned into Carter. He had a mocking smile on his face as he gazed down at them.

The kunoichi snorted. "If it isn't the two-faced bastard. You're annoyingly good at running with your tail between your legs."

The smirk only widened. "Why thank you, Kazumi. I see that I've been in your thoughts for a while. I would love nothing more than to keep you all to myself but unfortunately, the Imperium's wishes come first." Her pale eyebrow twitched; to her, that sounded incredibly perverted. "You were all so easy to manipulate though the girl's efforts have caused much setbacks for us." The ceiling started to open up.

"It's not over yet."

"Wrong, Superman." High above them was a ship at least the size of three football stadiums. A smaller ship sailed down and landed on the raised platform. "All hail the Imperium." He and all the invaders bowed deeply as a being exited the ship through a hatch.

It was large, easily towering over everyone present, and floated several feet above the ground. The blob had a thick glowing violet membrane surrounding a swirling collection of dark liquids and gases and several pink and black tentacles. It approached them and seemed to focus on the green Martian. "J'onn J'onzz. It's been a long time." It angled its body slightly. "And this must be the mysterious Kazumi my followers have been talking about."

Kazumi glared at it. "So the two-faced bastard takes orders from a mutant tentacle monster... I was wondering what the boss looks like when the stooge sounds like a pervert." She ignored the warning glances her comrades attempted to give her. "I know demons with more honor than you."

The Imperium chuckled. "Your defiance amuses me, young one. Just as yours did many centuries ago, J'onn J'onzz." It gave a mental command and the substance holding J'onn and Kazumi rose like a charmed snake and deposited them on the podium. The invaders aimed their weapons at both them and the others, ready to shoot in case the need arose.

Two came over with long electrical prods and shocked them. Kazumi caught herself to avoid completely falling on the floor while J'onn was not as lucky and morphed back to his natural form. The leader came closer and caressed Kazumi's cheek with a tentacle while observing J'onn. She weakly swatted it away and got to her feet, her clothes burnt from the attack and showing her wounds instantly healing as soon as the attacks were stopped.

"Magnificent," He declared. "You have defied me for centuries, J'onn. You have also become a large threat to me, young one."

"And I will never bow before you or any of your kind," J'onn spat telepathically as he picked himself up.

"You wouldn't be the first slimy bastard with plans of world domination that I've annoyed. It seems to be a habit of mine to mess up carefully laid plans to rule the world."

In the same calm and echoing voice, the Imperium continued, "Then I will personally see to eliminate the threats. You've become a thorn in my side for far too long, J'onn J'onzz. I give Kazumi a chance now." She spat on the ground below him in response. It hovered closer to them and reached out with smaller and sharper tentacles. It pierced through their skins and entered their arms and chests. Kazumi muffled her screams of agony, fairly used to pain. J'onn couldn't help but shriek as the tendrils bore through muscles to reach their brains.

The others watched in morbid fascination as the Imperium raised them high above the ground and closer to its body. It drew them into its body, through the slimy membrane, and continued the torture inside. The pained sounds of the Martian muffled by the Imperium's own body. Electricity flashed inside the murky liquid, letting the other heroes see their friends being tortured for brief moments. All struggled to free themselves and save them. Their cries for it to stop almost drowned by their friends' screams of pain. "Yield to me, Kazumi. Your life need not be wasted defending such a weak species."

"F-fuck you."

"Why do you resist? Can you not see how hopeless Earth is against my power? You've lost."

"Have we?" J'onn insolently thought.

The Imperium hesitated before aggressively doubling the pain both were in and harshly digging into their brains. "You're hiding something, a secret deep in the recesses of your minds. Are these more of your deceptive tricks?"

Kazumi smirked and sent her demonic chakra into the tentacles. Its acidic nature coursed into the Imperium like a fast-acing poison, making him screech in pain. "What's wrong, bastard? Can't take a little bit of pain when you can dish it out?" She covered her hands in purple chakra and sliced the tentacles off J'onn. She shoved him out of the membrane and proceeded to overload the Imperium with the burning energy.

Just then, something smashed into the machine holding the Ion Matrix Crystal. The smoke floated away and revealed another Kazumi with Hawkgirl's mace and the previously thought to be deceased Batman. Batman quickly attached a device on the Crystal while the Kazumi outside the Imperium quickly drew seals to form a barrier around the machine. Wonder Woman's, Flash's and Green Lantern's hands and feet started to channel the same purple chakra and broke through their restraints. They then freed the other two with powerful hits and dropped the illusion to reveal them as more of Kazumi's shadow clones. The clone with Batman threw Hawkgirl's mace to her and gave the Imperium the one-fingered salute before dispelling itself. That was the signal for phase three of the plan to start. Sounds of explosions could be heard as a green laser sliced the roof off and allowed the real Diana, along with more clones and the three demons, to enter and start fighting the aliens while Flash and Green Lantern rescued the captives.

"How is this possible?!"

"It's been planned before the factories were attacked," J'onn explained as he fought the invaders. "Kazumi's clones and allies were to cause a distraction while the real one received the information she needed, reunited with us and created clones to look exactly like the rest of the team and made the necessary preparations to simulate their powers."

"Fūinjutsu is as limited as the imagination of the user, Blobby. My clones, J'onn and I fell into that trap on purpose to gain an audience with your butt ugly mug," Kazumi continued. "I can't keep up a jutsu when I'm unconscious but then seals don't need a constant input of chakra. Batman and a clone, mentally shielded by J'onn, worked on how to reverse the ion charge and keep the crystal from being destroyed. The clone would then dispel itself with orders for the clones in the other factories to do the same to the Crystals there, to destroy the walkers and to storm this factory." Her smirk turned feral. "Now what did you say about fighting against you being hopeless?" She poured more of her chakra into the tentacles. The Imperium screamed louder in pain, writhing in midair.

In the midst of anguish, the Imperium tried to retract his tentacles from the kunoichi but she simply grabbed on to them in a tight grip. The most he could do was take her out of his body in a vain attempt to dull the pain. "I'm not letting go of you that easily, asshole! Not when so many have suffered and died because of you!" One of the aliens moved to attack her with the prod only to be punched away by the Martian.

He commanded his followers, "D-Destroy the C-Crystal, you fools!"

Batman swung out of the way as the red orange substance in the machine changed into a dull blue. The invaders vainly shot at the Crystal but were lost as to how to penetrate the shielded chamber. Many of them were already being taken down by members of the resistance. Outside, a bright blue light came from the top of the factory and pierced through the thick clouds. The clouds gave way to clear blue skies and the bright noon sunlight.

Sunlight flooded the chamber and the invaders started emitting smoke as soon as the light contacted with their skin. They ran for the protection of the shade and tried to take out the heroes with their weapons. Those who weren't quick enough to hide melted in the sun. As the others battled the minions, Kazumi dragged the Imperium deeper into the sunlight. His skin bubbled and boiled as he thrashed around, trying to escape back into the shade. "What's wrong? Never experienced a nasty sunburn before?" She stayed in place with a grin, not minding the plasma blasts that seared her skin. "Sucks to be you on a bright day like today."

Batman landed next to Flash and Green Lantern and helped them move the hostages. "Ultraviolet rays," He said as he hurriedly loaded the unconscious people into the green globe John made. "Coming from the depths of space, the invaders have no resistance to our sun's radiation." Superman and Hawkgirl were close enough to be able to hear his explanation over the battle cries.

"What are you?!" he shrieked.

"I'm many things but, for now, I'm your worst nightmare! I am Megami!"

The Imperium dug a tentacle into Megami's neck and bore his way to her brain once more. As soon as he wrapped it around her mind, he released an electric shock more powerful than what the prods could produce. The kunoichi screamed in pain as she was forced to let go of the tentacles. None of her enemies had ever physically attacked her brain so the pain surprised and overwhelmed her as she slipped in and out of consciousness. This allowed the Imperium to float to the safety of the shadow his ship cast. The hatch opened and the Imperium flew into it, swatting away the senator as he grabbed onto him in hopes of being saved.

The Flash saw everything and abandoned Batman and GL as they had the situation under control. He ran past and sometimes through the invaders to reach Megami's side. Megami was knocked out but thankfully breathing. Having been hit by lightning, he knew how painful it was. But what the kunoichi went through was enough to kill just about everyone else. "Hang on, Kazumi. I've got you." He lifted the young lady in his arms and ran back to GL and Batman.

Diana saw the ship leaving the factory and quickly lassoed the tail. She kept it from flying away as Hawkgirl flew straight at it with her mace and started smashing it. It fired a laser at Wonder Woman who was forced to let go of her lasso. The ship's ascent was slowed by the damage Hawkgirl caused and Diana was able to reach for her lasso again. They sent the ship crashing down on the factory, taking everyone inside to a fiery death. Only a few clones ran out to make seals to contain the coming explosion while the others stayed behind and kept the invaders from escaping.

J'onn took out the few invaders who were shooting at John. With the entire factory coming down on their heads, they had to get out fast. Hawkgirl, Superman and Diana took to the skies while GL carried everyone else out on the green globe. They rested on top of one of the taller buildings. Kosshi and Sekkou gathered around Flash and Megami. She slowly regained consciousness as explosions came from the factory before it was annihilated.

The huge ship made its way to the swiftly clearing skies as she determinedly pushed herself to her feet. "I don't think so." Megami ignored the shocked gasps when she jumped down to the streets below. Violet chakra enveloped her body until all that could be seen was a bright violet sphere that grew bigger and bigger. Once the light was gone, a giant silver fox-like creature with rippled violet eyes stood tall enough for everyone to see its snarling muzzle at eye level. The tail straightened as it opened its maw. A misty ball of black and grey started to form just on front of its mouth and grew until the height of three buses stacked on top of each other. The fox compressed the sphere in its mouth and opened it again, causing a huge concentration of energy to be released. The yellow light flew at the retreating ship and completely incinerated it. Its ashes fell to the ground gracefully as the fox began to shrink and shift into a more human appearance.

Everyone was brought to the ground and they ran to the slumped form of Megami. Flash was the first to her side, followed by her family. "Jou-chan!" Kosshi shouted repeatedly as she brushed her hair aside. Behind them were the worried civilians and the rest of the team.

After a tense minute, the young lady groaned and weekly glared at her sister figure. "Stop screeching in my ear, Kosshi..." she mumbled. Cheers rang throughout the area and Kosshi hugged the poor girl still in Flash's arms while sobbing in relief. Despite being practically smothered by Kosshi's breasts, Megami did not pull away from the hug or fight Flash's tight grip. Keigo snuck away from the crowd with a smile to take the people out of the safe house.

* * *

"We have to remain vigilant. What will we do if more of those invaders ever return?" General Wells asked the public.

The footage then went to the numerous efforts of Megami. "In other news, Megami, the now named heroine of the Metropolis Meltdown, has dispatched her clones all over the world. They have been reported doing rescue operations, healing and rebuilding homes and buildings destroyed by the invasion." Her mask was up in a vain effort to hide the blush she was sporting because of all the attention she was receiving. Whenever someone came over to ask questions, she would politely end the conversation and run off to help more people.

Batman was watching the news coverage of the others fighting the last remaining forces of the Imperium and assisting civilians in rebuilding their lives. He shut off the newsfeed and leaned back on the chair. What General Wells said did ring true. Earth had been in danger of being invaded or destroyed multiple times as if it had a giant neon sign hanging over it that invited all kinds of trouble. His mind was working overtime to think of a way to warn the planet of incoming hostile presences as this event made him realize that their deep space monitoring network could be infiltrated again. Just as he was deciding which of his company's projects he could use to rectify this, the phone connected to his computer rang. Only a few people have that number and they all knew both of his identities. "What?" he asked gruffly, not bothering with telephone etiquette.

"Moshi-moshi, Koumori-san," came the playful reply. He bit back a groan as he heard that nickname. "I'm guessing you've seen the news, right?"

"What of it, Ren?"

"About that project I'm in..." The calls and discussions continued. Plans were outlined and the two prepared to put it in motion after nearly a month of revision.

* * *

The world had seen the dawn of a new year weeks ago. They were still recovering from the invasion but they were able to move on thanks to the help of the heroes, Megami especially. Still, try as they might, no one could get the world's newest heroine to answer their questions. All they would get was one of her now signature blushes and a quick excuse before leaving. Said heroine wished she could have kept her original skin color as it would have at least hidden some of the red color while her ivory skin did not.

With most of the damage repaired by herself and her clones, Kazumi was now hiding out in the enormous metal structure that Batman named the Watchtower, enjoying simply being herself and not a hounded superheroine for a while. He and Superman had invited everyone on board for some reason and she was more than willing to escape from the numerous eager reporters who wanted to interview her. She rested her arms on the rail of the giant window, marveling at the sight before her. There were no traces of ominous black clouds or imposing black structures, only a peaceful and calm planet that held a vast amount of beauty. It was the first time she had been in space and she hoped that she could see more at a later date. Further away were her family members, also enjoying the view.

Next to her, Superman was asking if Wayne Tech stockholders knew about the satellite. "A discontinued project that was deemed obsolete by the team developing it. It helps that a sizeable donation was left in the Batcave anonymously with instructions that it should be used to fund the project. Strangely, it was the exact amount needed." He sent a meaningful look towards Kazumi.

"Wow... It must have been a well-meaning and oddly well-connected person to donate to a beneficial project, Koumori-san." Her tone easily told the Dark Knight to drop the subject immediately. She had more than enough money that just gathered dust as the years passed even with all the investments and donations she gave to worthy causes so she might as well use it to help build something to protect her home. But like her humanitarian efforts after the invasion, she hated the attention it brought. "In any case, this Watchtower of yours will act as an early warning system against other threats of invasion from space and will allow us to monitor any threats on Earth."

Flash and Diana chose that moment to leave the elevator they were riding. Diana had a drink in her hand while Flash had one in each. "And it has a fully stocked kitchen," the red-clad speedster quipped. He approached Kazumi. "Iced mocha?"

She smilingly accepted the offered beverage. "Thanks, Flash."

A silly grin was on his face. "Not a problem."

Diana took a deep sip, clearly enjoying it. "Mmm. We don't have these on Themyscira." While she missed her home and was still wary of Man's World, she marveled at the many delights it offered.

Flash was instantly by her side and giving her a smile. He bumped their drinks together. "Stick around, Princess. I'll show you the ropes," he offered and confidently pointed his thumb at himself. Kazumi's eyebrow twitched dangerously.

Having gotten used to the other's unique brand of humor, Diana smiled. "Perhaps I will."

Kazumi felt a strange and uncomfortable pang of something as she silently watched them. She crushed her own glass, causing her iced mocha to overflow from the cardboard cup. She didn't even notice until Superman silently coughed and pointed to the mess she made. She let her hair fall in front of her face to hide the fact that she was blushing... again as she cleaned it up. '_Maybe I should see a doctor about this_...' she thought idly.

"Impressive installation," John commented as he and Hawkgirl flew down towards them. "Most impressive but what's it got to do with us?" He turned to Superman as he had a look in his eye that showed his eagerness for something.

Looking at the big blue planet that was his home, Superman spoke. "I once thought I could protect the world by myself, but I was wrong. Working together, we saved the planet. And I believe that if we stayed together, as a team, we would be a force that could truly work for the ideals of peace and justice."

"You really are a boy scout," Kazumi said with a smirk.

Flash grinned at the speech. "So you want to get together as a bunch of super friends?"

"More like a justice league," Superman replied. He had grown used to Kazumi's frank comments and was beginning to enjoy hearing them. He knew that she, her family and Flash would favor the idea.

Without missing a beat, Kazumi, Ren and Flash asked at the same time, "Do you have any idea how corny that sounds?" They exchanged looks and smiled. The more mature heroes suppressed a shiver as if they all had a sense of foreboding for what was to come but they ignored it.

"He does have a point, Jou-chan, Ren," Wanyūdo stated.

"With all of us working together, it would work," added Tsuyu. "We did do a lot of good before." Flash nodded his agreement.

Ren sighed. "Just as long as Wanyūdo and I don't have to wear our underwear on the outside." Superman and Batman glared at him and he raised an eyebrow as if challenging them to deny the fact that they did indeed look like they were wearing their underwear for the world to see.

"I guess you could count the five of us in," Kazumi said as the five of them laid their hands on top of the Man of Steel's. John Stewart and Hawkgirl joined in.

"My mother may not approve but I find Man's World to be intriguing. I'll gladly join." Diana stepped forward and joined the group though she was wondering why everyone was joining hands. '_It must be a friendship ritual_.'

Batman declined the offer though he said that he'd help when (not if) they needed it. "What about J'onn?"

Kazumi sighed. "Superman, come with me." He understood. Like himself, J'onn and Kazumi were the last of their worlds. Being alone for centuries, J'onn didn't have anyone to help him with his loneliness and grief while they did.

They went to the high deck and stood beside the silent Martian. "J'onn?"

He turned to Kazumi and then Superman. He didn't shed any tears, those had run out long ago. "My family and loved ones are long gone. I am the last of my kind." His words were said without emotion but both knew J'onn was wistful and in pain. "Mars is dead and I am alone in the universe."

They comforted J'onn as best as they can. "We know the feeling," Superman replied reassuringly. While he couldn't remember Krypton on his own, the phantom pain of not knowing who he was, being so different and not really belonging was still there. However, he was raised as normally as possible. Kazumi might have a better idea of how their friend was feeling.

"We can't replace the family you've lost, J'onn," Kazumi said. "And no power in the universe could truly bring back the dead. Not without paying a heavy and impossible price. Mars will always hold a special place in your heart, just as Konoha does mine. But, we'd be honored if you could make Earth your new home. It might take time but I hope that you'll accept whatever family comes your way." She was indirectly inviting the Martian to be part of her family and the offer would stand for however long it took for him to decide on an answer.

Both smiled at him and J'onn couldn't help but return them with one of his own. "Thank you."

* * *

"When this is over, I will kill you," Megami stated breathlessly. Like Batman, she wasn't a people person. However, while Batman didn't get along well with others, she just couldn't risk getting too close or else there'd be some problems when they had to leave/fake their deaths and she couldn't handle the amount of attention people gave her for simply doing the right thing. She was uneasy when Konoha finally acknowledged her after the invasion of Pain and she certainly didn't know how to handle reporters who have been waiting months for this interview.

She was standing just out of sight from the horde of journalists in the next room. They were seated facing a stage where a chair and a table with a glass and pitcher of water were waiting for her to sit on. Behind her and slowly edging away was Superman. Her hands were trembling and she was almost worryingly pale. Cold sweat ran down her brow and she nervously wiped it away. She stared at the other room as if it was the open jaws of Kurama's mouth itself. "I will give you a wedgie so bad, you'll be speaking falsetto for years. Then I'll hurt you, severely, before making you do most ridiculous things I can ever imagine and then giving you a slow and painful death. Then I'll peel your skin off your bones and use it as fertilizer for Ukki-kun (2) and use your blood for my next painting. Your skeleton will be graffitied with Sharpies and nail polish and will hang on my door every Halloween, Hungry Ghost Festival and every other death-related event out there."

He was now hiding behind Keigo, who was doing his best to smother his laughter. Flash, Sekkou and Kosshi had no such reservations as they openly laughed at the Man of Steel and the Eternal Kunoichi. The other members of the newly formed Justice League, sans Batman, were also there, amused at the scene before them. "It's just an interview, Jou-chan," the fire user said. "They just want to know more about us and they want you to tell your story and ours."

She merely made a strangled sound that resembled something between a whimper and either the word 'murder' or 'dismember.' The Kryptonian winced and tried to make himself a smaller target. Finally taking pity on Superman, Flash wrapped a hand around Megami's shoulders. "You'll do fine, Meg. It's easier if you imagine them in their underwear."

She automatically brought her hands up to perform a jutsu to relieve the audience of everything but their underwear to make it more convincing but Kosshi held her hands still. "Without using a jutsu." In the corner, Green Lantern was silently videotaping everything in case Batman was interested in knowing how Megami was before her first interview. He wondered if this would put a smile on the Dark Knight's face. He would also have some blackmail material over Megami and Superman.

Minutes later, they finally convinced Megami to go out and face the mob of 'nosy, insufferable and stubborn newshounds.' She stiffly walked out and sat on the chair. No one said anything for a few minutes until the atmosphere got too awkward for Megami to stand. "Umm... Hi?" Her voice was high pitched and uneasy.

Silence reigned again before Megami cleared her throat. "This... is... obviously my first time giving an interview so... Does anyone know how I should start?" Her voice was more normal now and she was forcibly relaxing herself.

"You... could start with where you're from..." Snapper offered.

Megami nodded obediently and shifted in her seat. "Well, you might want to comfortable since it's a really long story. Unlike most of the others, I'm not from another planet though I'm definitely an alien. I come from a completely different reality." She got up from her seat and made a clone, which transformed into a large whiteboard. She took out the marker she was basically forced to carry around because of all the people who wanted autographs and started drawing a map of her world along with the names of the countries and marked the major hidden villages. "This was my world, the Hidden Continents. My home village, Hidden Leaf Village or Konoha, was in the Land of Fire and said to be the strongest of the five Great Ninja Villages. The ninja villages had a military dictatorship with their respective kage as leader."

"In my world, everything living thing had a life force called chakra, a mixture of physical energy and spiritual energy, which is contained in the body and chakra coils. Majority of us were shinobi or ninjas who used our chakra to act as the soldiers and guardians of our respective villages. We used chakra to perform techniques or jutsu to fight and train. We had academies, where children were trained to fight and kill." The reporters started talking among themselves as they heard this.

"Before you guys think badly of my home, let me finish," She assertively said. She needed to defend the memory of her home and that pushed her onwards. "The peace there was unstable and a single politician or even a single shinobi making a stupid move could easily end in a full-scale war. Even in times of peace, the possibility of dying early was high. We had no choice but to train early to defend ourselves and our home in case something happened." The reporters quieted down. "However, newly instated shinobi and kunoichi, female ninjas, were given missions that were basically chores when we weren't training."

Nervous once again, Megami did the breathing exercises Kakashi taught her in times of stress. She began drawing likenesses of nine animals with numerous tails; the most detailed were the first, eighth and ninth. "We not only had the ability to use nature through the use of our chakra but also our fair share of mythical creatures. The most powerful were the tailed beasts or bijū. There were nine with the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox, Kurama, being the strongest. Kurama was controlled by Uchiha Obito to attack Konoha on the day I was born... The Fourth Hokage, our leader then and my father, fought it but, even though he was considered the strongest man alive, the bijū were basically volatile entities of near limitless chakra and couldn't be killed. He had to seal the fox into someone who chakra system wasn't mature yet... essentially a baby." She stayed silent, knowing that the journalists could put two and two together. This was her biggest fear once she found out about the fox. She kept it well hidden in Konoha and only those closest to her knew about it until the start of the war.

"He sealed it into you..." stated one of the reporters. Megami flinched and waited for someone to cry out "Demon!"

When none came, she continued with more confidence. "Needless to say, nearly everyone in the village hated me because they think I was the demon who killed many people and almost destroyed their home. I was basically a symbol of the people they lost that day and what could have happened if my father hadn't sealed him in exchange for his own life." She took a deep breath before speaking again. "Now, I was simply a prison for Kurama but most villagers didn't see it that way. There was a law passed down that anyone who revealed it to those who didn't already know were to be killed without question. This was so I could have some semblance of a normal life but everyone found a way around it. Most of the adults isolated me from those my age and made living... difficult." She smiled a little as she remembered her precious people. "But everything was fine because I found people who cared about me."

She visibly shook her head and went back to her story. "In any case, it was thanks to those few that I trained hard in order to protect the village that hated me. I had problems in the academy because all but one teacher didn't want the demon child to become stronger. It took me three tries but I graduated with the rest of my age group."

Time passed as Megami colored her life in the Hidden Continent. Her marker had run out of ink so she made had her clone transform into images. She outlined some basic information about her world, standard abilities of shinobi and some of the important events of her life until the Fourth Shinobi World War, when the reanimated Momochi Zabuza entrusted her with Kubikiribōchō on the condition that he was never to be used to take another life.

She was morose as she continued. "We won the war... but at a price. Because of the strain the revival put on my world, the connection between everything and their essence, kami, was severed. My world was dying... People were dying and I was soon all alone." She took a drink of water. She no longer cried when talking about her world but it still hurt to remember her long dead friends.

"W-When I was seriously thinking of suicide for the first time, I was brought here after my world's kami made me absorb it. I was unconscious for about two days and woke up in a then small rural village in feudal Japan. I had nothing but the clothes I was wearing and weapons that were stored on the seals on my body. The old lady who found me took care of me and became my grandmother figure. When she died years later, I wandered around again. Kubikiribōchō, who is a tsukumogami, an artifact spirit that originated from an item that has reached its hundredth birthday, gained a human body and later became known as Sekkou."

"We found that I am basically immortal and I don't age once I reach my twenties. And even if I do die, I'm reborn again and again. Let's just say that I don't know why a lot of people want to be immortal. I've lost many people... Friends, comrades... Sooner or later, my family will also be taken away from me and all I will have are memories of the times I shared with them."

She was silent for a while before shaking her head and moving on with her story. "Next, we met Keigo a few decades later. He used to be the carriage driver for a Japanese noble family. When he died, he cursed himself to live as a demon because he felt that if he had not lost control of the horses when they were being chased by bandits, the people riding with him wouldn't have died. I had to beat it into his skull that there was nothing he could have done since there was no way he could stop a wooden carriage from catching fire when it was struck with flaming arrows and animals have always been afraid of fire unless extensively trained. We then had to convince him that it was as much his fault as it was mine for not being able to bring Sasuke home in the Valley of the End. We both did the best we could but circumstances weren't in our favor. Instead of going to the afterlife, he chose to travel with us and be our carriage for long journeys."

"We met Kosshi next. She and her lover were escaping the brothel she was sold to when they were discovered. Someone Kosshi saw as a friend betrayed them and told the owner of the brothel, who had them killed. They were thrown into the river and gathered with other skeletons of murder victims. The negative energy formed together to make Kosshi a Hone-onna or bone woman. She had very little control over her illusions at the time and everyone was scared off when they saw that half her face nothing but bone. She was lonely and had nowhere to go so I invited her to join us and taught her how to cast her illusions better."

"After a while, we wanted to see what was beyond Japan's borders and lived in different countries, always posing as a family and passed the centuries doing odd jobs, being bounty hunters and whatever we could do. Sometimes, we apprenticed under artisans, blacksmiths, musicians and the like so we picked up a lot in our travels. Other times, we taught a bit of what we knew. It was only after WWII that we decided to live as normal humans. We'd move to another country and change our identities every few decades though."

"Where were you during this world's wars?" Lois asked.

Megami chuckled. "We've done our parts during the wars. We had to stay in the sidelines and gather information to determine which side was nobler at first but then we'd join their forces. We'd faked our deaths if it looked like we should have died in one battle or another and do it all over again. We couldn't use our powers as it would draw unnecessary attention and I think you all know how I am with attention." Everyone gave a laugh as the last time Megami had been asked to answer a few questions, she ran up a building while saying she needed to rescue a cat that was stuck up a tree on the other side of town.

"We teamed up with the Blackhawks for about three years during WWII as informants, mechanics and medics when we weren't on the battlefield ourselves; they knew what we were. We decided to stay out of the rest of the war when it was almost over. We couldn't condone some of the Allied Forces' actions and we certainly weren't going to side the Axis. As for the Blackhawks, they understood that we've seen enough bloodshed over the centuries but kept us informed. My family and I served as traveling doctors and nurses for a time. When we were told about the plans to bomb Hiroshima and Nagasaki, we rushed to Hiroshima but we were too late to stop the bombing. I left the others and my clones to help the civilians and ran to Nagasaki. I was able to convince many people to leave but most didn't believe me. I was... caught in the explosion." She cleared her throat as she remembered the pain. It wasn't as painful as absorbing the Jūbi or having Kurama ripped out of her stomach but it was still painful. "Anyway, we mostly lived as normal humans with normal jobs afterwards. We were as uninteresting and ordinary as we could be until a few months ago."

People were silent. They had no idea this was the kind of experiences Megami had gone through when she was either so lively or painfully shy. Still, it didn't take long before they started asking questions. "What was your most difficult mission in your world?" "Where did you go after you left Japan for the first time?" "What was your highest rank in your world?" "Did you have a lover in the Hidden Continents?"

Snapper, on the other hand, asked a question that cut through the din. "What did you turn into before you destroyed that battleship?" Everyone quieted down as they also wanted to know about what happened.

"As the Jūbi, I basically have a human form, a beast form and a hybrid form. My beast form is what everyone saw that day, a giant silver fox. I needed the extra size to take out the battleship quickly in case it called for reinforcements. In my hybrid form, I'm more fox-like and taller."

"What was that attack you used on the battleship?"

"It's a ball made of positive and negative chakra called the Bijūdama or Tailed Beast Ball. The combination of the two has to be precise or it blows up in my face. The power is too destructive for me to use it on anything less than extremely large targets that are too dangerous to leave alone. That and it feels a lot like throwing up." The reporters were quiet for a while.

Megami, on the other hand, was uneasy with the silence and was about to ask if there was anything else they wanted to know when her stomach echoed throughout the room. Her signature blush was on her face again. She laughed embarrassedly. "S-Sorry. I was a little too nervous to eat this morning."

People laughed in understanding. The reporters were more than satisfied with the information they received. Though some were curious as to the people met over the years, they decided that that was information they could do without. Lois asked one final question, "What was your name in your world?"

She smiled. "I haven't used that name for a long time... Naru. Uzumaki-Namikaze Naru."

Megami thanked everyone for listening to her ramblings and returned to the room where the League was. As she entered the room, the girls hugged her and she was pretty sure Kosshi and Diana were crying. She simply leaned in to the hug, choosing to ignore her stomach for the moment. She missed this. She missed this very much.

* * *

Clark Kent was tired. He had just come back from the Daily Planet and worked on an article about the humanitarian efforts of Megami while Lois was practically over the moon about the press conference Megami gave earlier that day. Though what made him even more tired was the fact that he spent nearly a week convincing said kunoichi to give the press conference in the first place and being threatened with death and utter humiliation since he first brought it up until just before the interview. He was simply glad that it was all over.

As he was getting ready for a bath, the door rang. "Package for Mr. Clark Kent," came the voice of a postal worker. He signed for it and received a medium sized box wrapped in simple brown paper and string. The card simply said 'Thanks, Boy Scout' and the initials K.H. on the lower right hand corner.

He unwrapped the package and was surprised when he was hit by a pie with green and pink icing. His reflexes didn't even have time to react. He glanced at the card again and saw that an additional line appeared while he was being attacked by icing. 'You got off easy,' the new line said.

Sighing, Clark went to the bathroom to wash his face. When he checked his reflection. He couldn't help the scream that sounded oddly high pitched and child-like. His entire face and even his hair had green and pink stripes. He scrubbed his face harder only to have the colors stand out even more. He used every bathing product he had but it only worsened the color. Worse, he also found out that the odd sound of his voice was not because he was shocked by his new look. It really was high-pitched and child-like.

He looked at the back of the card and saw a type of schedule.

Day 1: pink and green stripes on face and hair with high squeaky voice.

Day 2: colors fade gradually and uncontrollable childish prattling and singing

Day 3: colors fade completely and rashes and muteness develop

Day 4: all returns to normal

Until it wears off: Me rolling on the floor laughing my butt off =P

'_Looks like I'll be sick at home for the next three days_...' he though idly.

"Was that really necessary, Jou-chan?" Wanyūdo asked. Kazumi was wearing a pleased smile as she took off the uniform she wore to trick the Kryptonian.

"Not really but it was very satisfying." She was a prankster at heart and she won't let something go without some sort of payback. She had a kitsune stuck inside her for 20 years after all and they were notorious troublemakers. "Besides, he got off easy. I was originally going to have him go around the city in the buff covered in bacon grease and seals to keep him from using his powers with wolves running after him."

"And breaking into John's home in Detroit, dying his underwear and socks pink and sticking them on his ceiling to spell 'I told you' while the rest of his clothes and apartment are in a blinding shade of yellow?" Ren had to laugh when he saw what Kazumi did for revenge against the Lantern.

"He deserved it. Besides, it was either that or stealing his ring and replacing his clothes with tutus and cocktail dresses and his underwear and socks with thongs and fishnet stockings. Besides, I left money for him to pay for everything," she whined.

"No, you just put a seal that won't let him use his ring in his house so he has to do everything by hand," Wanyūdo deadpanned.

Kazumi pouted. "It builds character and it's his fault for trying to get blackmail material on me. I said so clearly in the note I left him. Besides, I'm going to remove the seal once he stops trying to use his ring to fix everything." She appeared affronted by her grandfather's lack of humor at what she did but knew the yōkai was as amused as Ren and Tsuyu deep down.

Still, someone had to be the 'responsible' adult and it certainly wasn't going to be her.

* * *

(1) Watashi tachi ha kazoku de aru. From babelfish and

(2) The name of Masashi Kishimoto's, creator of Naruto, beloved deceased plant.


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Anger and Violence

Flash and Megami were doing maintenance on the Watchtower... Or rather, Megami was doing maintenance while Flash was lounging on a higher platform. It didn't really bother the kunoichi since she had more experience in doing maintenance on high-tech equipment than Flash had because of her time with the Blackhawks. Besides, he provided a steady stream of conversation that made the dull job much more enjoyable.

"So you come from a dimension where about half the people had powers, huh?" He knew he was sounding a bit eager but he really wanted to know more about Megami. Her world interested him almost as much as she did.

Her smile was hidden under her mask. "More or less, though what we did is considered normal if a bit awe-inspiring for civilians."

"What's it like there?"

"Same as any militant group, I suppose." She finished up and wiped her hands. "Shinobi were given missions according to our rank and experience and we completed them for our security and economy." She giggled over a memory of Konohamaru and his team trying and failing to catch the Demon Cat of Konoha without getting scratched up. "Though, genin hated having to chase Lady Shijimi's cat. I swear that thing was related to the Nibi with how it refused to die."

"What about when you're not doing missions... When you're not at work?"

She lowered her mask to smile coyly at the speed demon. "What about it?" She liked where this conversation was going. She liked Flash but she wanted to play with him a bit before things became serious between them.

A goofy grin was on his face as Flash almost stumbled over his words. "Well... Did you have a _koi_?" '_OK. No need to sound that eager. No use tipping her off or sounding desperate_.' He barely took notice of J'onn's silent entrance, more interested in Megami's answer. He had seen how she had reacted when he offered to help Diana understand the world and hoped it meant what he thought it meant. He even went so far as to learn some Japanese words and phrases in hopes of impressing her.

She gave him a mischievous smile and directed another one at the Martian. She jumped high and landed beside the latter. "I'm sorry, Flash, but none of the houses I've ever lived in had enough room for a fish pond." She winked at J'onn and left to freshen up, leaving a confused red-clad hero in her wake.

He sat in place for a while, simply watching the other walk out of the room. He then looked at the J'onn for some sort of explanation to what she just said. Even if he hadn't seen the exchange, he was pretty sure that the telepath peeked into her thoughts. A tiny smile graced the Martian Manhunter's lips. "_Koi _also means carp in Japanese."

The hero of Central City was both thrilled and annoyed. Most of the time, women would throw themselves at him since he was a hotshot hero. At first, it was great, especially for his ego, but it got old really fast. Having someone he was actually interested in but didn't swoon over him like a lovesick groupie felt... nice. At the same time, he really wanted to know if she had feelings for someone in her world or even her time in this reality; no doubt she attracted someone's attention over the years and it wasn't that hard to see her liking someone back. It was difficult enough to ask the immortal out without the memories of other guys in the mix. And that was ignoring the other issues both had.

J'onn placed a hand on his shoulder and was about to give him some encouragement when an alarm sounded. Red lights flashed as J'onn and Flash turned to the window and saw what looked like three men zooming through space on jet-powered boots. "It's an incursion!" His words were rushed as he tried to probe their minds only to fail to get anything except their destination.

"More like an invasion," Flash said. "We don't need another one so soon after those blob guys! We don't need another one period!"

"I'll notify the others. I've told Megami to prepare the Javelin." They ran to the docking bay to see the engines already warming up. Megami was seated in the pilot's seat, waiting for them to get in and buckle up. J'onn took the co-pilot's seat while Flash settled in behind them.

"Wonder Woman is working on another case. Superman's dealing with an earthquake and Batman would only say that he's busy," he said. "Sekkou and Kosshi are on their day jobs right now but Hawkgirl and Keigo are on their way to where I believe they will be landing." Megami absentmindedly nodded as she raced through the pre-flight check.

"What about GL?" Flash asked.

The Martian's brow furrowed. "I can't reach him." John must have much on his mind to be able to block his telepathic messages. As far as he could determine, the only ones who could consciously do that were Megami and her family and that's only because they had centuries' worth of meditation practice under their belt. He put that out of his mind as Megami took the controls and guided their way to Earth.

* * *

The three men J'onn and Flash saw earlier were robots called Manhunters. They were on a mission to bring in an accused to the High Tribunal in order to seek justice. When a suspect is at large and reasonably dangerous, the task of restraining and retrieving him was given to the Manhunters. Their current target was the Green Lantern known as John Stewart of Earth. They would catch their quarry; no man escapes the Manhunters.

They landed on a crowded street of Detroit where they have reason to believe was his current location. They ignored the humans who gawked at them or ran away in fear. It caused a little commotion but they cared little for what the Earthlings were doing.

They marched through the street, movements in sync in every way. "Stop!" came a command from above. They did as they were told and saw three figures coming down from a spacecraft. The green one spoke, "What do you want here?" Their sensors told them that they could pose a threat and detected three more were heading their way. Seeing as they had made no move to challenge them yet, they deduced that they were the peacekeeping force of this planet.

"John Stewart. The Green Lantern," the leader of the trio said stoically.

"What for?" Flash asked. GL might be a stiff but he was a friend and a comrade.

"That's not your concern," it replied.

Megami glared at the three. "That's where you're wrong, Tin Man." She stepped up, directly challenging the Manhunter's authority. She barely came up to the Manhunters' chests as the robots were a head taller than even J'onn's impressive height. Still, she would not let them so much as see the former Marine without a damn good reason. "He is a valued friend and ally, which makes his concern our concern."

The leader made to swipe her away, not exactly gently but with more than enough force that she would stop obstructing its way and be relatively uninjured. Though it was a robot, its programming allowed limited emotional responses for combat and detainment purposes so the surprise it felt when she stopped its arm with her own was reasonable.

"Now, I believe Flash asked you a question. What do you want with the Green Lantern known as John Stewart?" Her tone was level and monotone though her eyes stated that she could easily crush its arm should the Manhunter not answer. In fact, the almost silent straining of the metal could be heard when it didn't answer.

"That's not-"

"I'm being as nice and diplomatic as I can be at the moment, seeing as how you were the first to take aggressive action," Megami interrupted. "I suggest you don't try my patience. I understand that you have a job to do and I'm willing to stay out of your way, at the very least." The straining grew louder. The two others the leader brought with it put their staffs on standby and waited for more threatening action against their leader to take place. "However, before I decide either to stay out of your way or to reduce you to a scrap heap, I need to know your reasons for wanting Lantern." By then, Hawkgirl and Keigo had arrived.

In a swift movement, the leading Manhunter activated its staff and powered it up to release a painful jolt of electricity. The attack hit Megami's side, making her jump away with a hiss but not before mangling the Manhunter's arm like an empty can. She landed on a lamppost and rode out the pain. She made a handful of shadow clones to get the civilians out. There wasn't enough space for her to use most of her jutsu in her arsenal and it was too dangerous to use her shadow clones for anything but crowd control.

Seeing Megami get attacked was more than enough reason for the other heroes to react violently. Hawkgirl and Keigo lashed out almost instantly. The Thanagarian slammed her mace into one of the followers' face while Keigo thrust his palm into the chest of the other and pushed it back. J'onn launched himself at the leader while it was preoccupied with its damaged arm only to be hit by the electric staff and thrown away.

Flash caught the Martian before he could hit the ground. He nodded in gratitude and they both attacked the leader. Megami covered her hand with wind chakra and launched herself at one of the others when he blasted Hawkgirl into a diner. She missed the head but was able to slash it from right shoulder to left hip. She caught the kick the Manhunter sent her way but couldn't stop the lightning blast from its staff. It sent her into a car, making a human-sized dent in the side. Keigo was in a similar situation with a brick wall though he was able to put quite a few dents into his opponent. Flash and J'onn weren't doing as well as they were. A lightning blast sent the Martian into a building while Flash was clotheslined by the leader's staff.

They continued on their way, not even looking back at the heroes they took down. That was a big mistake as Hawkgirl and Megami were furious beyond all reason. Hawkgirl flew at them at full speed, yelling in anger. Megami took a fairly similar approach. In an instant, lightning wrapped around her arm. The high concentration of electricity made the sound of countless birds chirping at the same time. The kunoichi launched herself towards one of the Manhunters with a great burst of speed. Her hand impaled the robot's chest and fried its circuitry.

Meanwhile, Hawkgirl's attack was stopped when her target thrust its staff into her stomach while she was overhead and slammed her onto the hood of a car. She was seconds away from being skewered. With her Chidori still active, Megami ran towards the one about to kill Hawkgirl the same time Superman appeared and slammed his fists into the robot's chest. The combined attack ripped the robot in half.

With its followers destroyed, the leader had little option but to battle itself despite its damaged arm. It swung its staff in Megami's direction, sending her through a wall. It sent a beam of electricity towards the Man of Steel, which pushed him back at most. It maxed the level of intensity of the beam and held it steady. It determined that the human in red was unable to damage it while the armored man, the Martian and the Thanagarian were a slight threat. It was the Kryptonian and the girl who were the biggest threats and needed to be dealt with for him to continue his mission.

Superman fought against it. He couldn't simply move out of the attack's way as it could damage more of the city or injure a civilian. Megami and some clones were tending to Hawkgirl and the others while a handful of clones were evacuating the area so he was on his own. It was a difficult battle but Superman intended to win. He pushed himself harder until he was taking step after step. He reached out his hand with great effort and broke the staff. The resulting explosion rocked the city. Keigo used that chance to engage the remaining Manhunter in hand-to-hand combat while Superman rested.

"We thought you were busy with an earthquake," Flash asked as he zipped to his side.

"It was just a 4.0," he replied. "You mind telling me what's going on here?"

"I wish I-" He suddenly grabbed Superman and pulled him out of the way of an airborne Keigo. Megami stopped his fall and brought the demon to the other side of the street. The Manhunter raised the staff of his fallen allies and powered it up.

Enraged that the robot was causing so much pain to his friends and fear among the civilians, Superman fired his heat vision the same time the Manhunter made another beam of electricity with his staff. Before the attacks could collide, a wall of green energy stopped both attacks.

It took them a few seconds to realize what their attacks were hitting and a stern order to stop fighting. They all turned to the direction of the voice and saw Lantern floating down to street level. His face looked to be carved in stone as he glanced at the League. Still, Flash sighed in relief. "Better late than never," he commented. He expected a smack to the head but it never came.

GL simply turned away from him and walked up to the remaining Manhunter, much to his friends' horror. "You are the Green Lantern known as John Stewart?" it asked. When the former Marine confirmed it, the robot held out his hand. "Your ring." Here, he hesitated before taking off the ring. He would admit that he was a little dependent on it and liked the comfortable weight on his finger yet he unquestioningly dropped it into the Manhunter's outstretched hand.

Before it could make contact with the appendage though, a white bird heavily outlined in black swooped between his hand and the Manhunter's before landing on Megami's shoulder and dropping the ring into the hand holding a calligraphy brush. In her other hand was a blank scroll but John was more concerned about the smile on her face. It was out of place and too pleasant for it to hold any real geniality considering the situation. "What's going on, John? You came late when your hometown is in danger and simply gave your ring to the one who caused most of the ruckus."

"This is not the time for this conversation, Megami," John cautiously said.

"I'm immortal, Johnny Boy. I have all the time in the world. You, on the other hand, are shortening your own time by not answering me." Her voice was calm and level but everyone could tell that she was furious. What she did at the end of the Metropolis Meltdown was still fresh in their minds and, despite her genial manner, her anger then was nothing compared to the furious state she was in now.

"All I can tell you is that I'm doing the right thing." Those eyes bore into his own, searching the bright green depths for the secrets he was keeping. She either couldn't find anything that could explain his present actions or decided she was going to hunt him down until she did as she gave the ring back to the bird. The living piece of art flew high above the Manhunter and dropped the ring into the Manhunter's hand before it blew itself up and splattering ink all over the robot's head.

Its stoic features didn't change as it placed shackles on GL with much difficulty. Having one functioning hand had lowered its efficiency in doing the previously simple task. Hopefully, the repairs would be made before they arrived on Ajuris-5. As soon as the shackles were in place, a yellow light shined on them. It distorted their features until they disappeared.

The clones gathered in front of their creator and waited for orders. "You know what to do. When you're done here, secure the other robots in the Watchtower and take them apart. I want to know everything about those Manhunters down to the very last screw. Make sure the rest of the League know the situation and monitor the planet." She turned to Keigo. "Please stay with them and bring them to the Watchtower later. The rest of us will be heading back now." She turned to the rest of the team in case they were suicidal enough to oppose her. They weren't but none were really looking forward to the flight.

* * *

A bloodthirsty mob was present as a spaceship docked. Some had signs that denounced the Green Lantern Corps while others had rotting garbage on hand. The only thing everyone was doing together was screaming obscenities. John could hear it even before the hatch opened to let him, the retrieval leader and more Manhunters out. During the flight, the leader had gotten its arm repaired but the ink splatter couldn't be washed or polished off no matter how hard the machines on board tried.

"Welcome to Ajuris-5, John Stewart. Do not expect your stay to be a pleasant one." The former Marine didn't have to be told that; he already knew where he stood in the minds of the people of the Ajuris System and he deserved everything they threw at him. When one of the people in the mob actually threw something at him, he merely wiped off the muck it left on his face. He knew that it wouldn't really matter once the trial started anyway.

As the floating disk they were riding on reached the courthouse-cum-prison. He saw the frowning faces of a group of Green Lanterns. Most of them glowered at him as he approached them with his entourage. He called some by name. "Good to see you," he said politely. He didn't even try to delude himself that they believed he was innocent.

"You're a disgrace to the Corps," Galius said. That hurt more than he could ever imagine. Though he knew he deserved it, he thought that Galius and Arkkis, or at the very least Kilowog, would offer a kind word to him. Instead, he was taken aback by the hostility. He almost preferred Megami's reaction when he surrendered if it weren't for the fact that it felt like she wanted to rip him a new one.

"Get me outta here." The Manhunters did just that. The Manhunter leader placed him in an energy field like all the other accused even though he was powerless without his ring. He saw the stars of the Ajuris System and a multitude of floating rocks. "What's next?"

"Your trial begins soon. If I had been programmed to feel sympathy, I suspect that I'd almost feel sorry for you." The Manhunter left without another word. John was fine with that; it allowed him to wallow in his self-hatred and guilt as he looked out into space. None of them noticed the tiny puff of smoke that came from the ink splatter on the Manhunter's head.

* * *

J'onn was on the computer, typing a report of what happened in Detroit to Batman with some amount of difficulty. His hands were still shaky from the reckless manner Megami flew the Javelin. Megami had quickly left for her room in the Watchtower and told the others to prepare the Javelin for a long flight without telling them where they were going. There was too much rage in her mind despite her genteel behavior that the Martian was afraid of reading even her surface-most thoughts. However, he had been around her long enough that she was planning something to bring back their friend.

"J'onn? The Javelin's ready," Superman said cautiously. "Do you know where we're going?"

He shook his head. "It would be imprudent of me to read Kazumi's mind when she is in this state. However, I believe that she has her reasons of acting this way and finding Lantern."

"John's on a planet called Ajuris-5, Superman," came Megami's sudden reply. Superman whirled around as he didn't hear the kunoichi's approach, looking surprised that she knew where John was. "I didn't let that ink bird splatter itself on the robot's head just out of spite, Superman. I hid a few shadow clones in the ink so we could find GL and get information on what he thinks he did." She was just as angry as when Lantern was taken away but it was bubbling just under the slightly less creepy persona she projected. "Apparently, whatever they think he did caused an entire planetary system to condemn the Green Lantern Corps and for the other Lanterns to scorn John. The robot we fought said his trial starts soon."

'_At least I have a secondary target_...' she thought. She made plans on how to casually meet the short round one and then make that meeting one that will never leave his nightmares. '_I wonder if polar bears can to play soccer_...' J'onn visibly winced at her disturbingly accurate daydream of Galius being mauled by a few white bears on a soccer field so Megami decided to plot another time. She politely cleared her throat. "How is he doing?"

The Martian's eyes glow briefly. "He is physically fine but I sense turmoil... and a heavy heart."

"You two have the most interplanetary experience besides John. Any of you recognize the name?"

"Yes," the telepath said. "It is in the Ajuris System not far from our own system. The Javelin should be able to reach it before anything untoward happens to Lantern if we leave now."

"Then let's not let him wait any longer than he has to." Her steps were quick and tense; it was as if they were seeing the warrior of the Fourth Shinobi World War. The Megami before them was hiding much anger, cunning and power. They followed after her, their pace just as quick but not as tempered.

Hawkgirl and Superman had the controls while Flash took over the communication system and J'onn kept them on course. With nothing to do on the ship, she settled down in her seat at the back of the Javelin. They've been traveling for a while and, with the speed they were going, they should reach Ajuris-5 in a few minutes. She knew nothing about alien court procedures but the way the Manhunters battled them to go after GL didn't bode well. They were merciless and brutal, not caring about even the briefest talks for peaceful solutions or the civilians in the area. She wouldn't be surprised if they were in favor of capital punishment. Whatever they think John did could end up getting him killed if the mob's reaction was anything to go by. '_Like hell will I let that happen_.'

Flash glanced over his shoulder as he turned half an ear towards Hawkgirl and Superman's conversation. She was pensive but the wrinkled brow told him that she was thinking about how they could rescue GL and, most likely, how to beat the stupidity out of him after she got her hands on him. Sometimes, her violent nature scared him but the reason behind that violence was what endeared her to him. Months ago, she almost single-handedly stopped the Imperium from taking over Metropolis because people were in danger and the world was at stake. Just a little over two hours ago, she trashed those robots because they were after GL and people were going to get hurt. '_It must be that Will of Fire thing Sekkou mentioned_.'

He was jolted out of his thoughts when they were suddenly attacked by blasters. The blasts rocked the Javelin and almost sent Megami flying. He could see three small jets flying around them to attack from all sides. Flash grabbed on to the panel in front of him and started typing as soon as he could to send a signal to the attackers. "They're not responding to our signal," he said. His attempt at sounding not as panicked as he felt was excellent.

Megami grabbed on to the back of his chair to steady herself as she looked over his shoulder. "Try another channel." Seconds passed before Flash said that none of the ships were picking up.

"It's clear what they want and I say we give it to them," Hawkgirl said as she started to prepare the weapons. Though the Javelin as mainly used to transport the heroes to and from the Watchtower, Ren had somehow convinced Wayne and the other board members to arm it.

Superman grabbed her wrist, almost bruising it in his grip, as he admonished her. "We're not here to start a war."

"Tell them that, Boy Scout. I'm sure they'll listen for about a millisecond before they blast you in the face." Despite the situation, they were all back that the normal Megami was back for the time being.

Seeing Megami's point in the matter, Superman acknowledged it with a nod and knew that there was no completely non-violent way out of this situation. J'onn, Hawkgirl, We're taking down those ships. Flash, you and Megami take the controls."

Megami immediately took the pilot's seat and opened the hatch to let the three out. Beside her, Flash was looking at the controls with some amount of dread. She reminded herself to teach Flash how to fly the spaceship when they got back home. "Find a place where we can land, Flash. I'll fly us-" A powerful blast hit the wing and rocked the cockpit. Flashing red lights told them that the Javelin was severely damaged and both heroes knew that they had to land fast.

Flash scanned the ground quickly, trying to find a deserted place big enough to land the Javelin. The Javelin bounced of buildings despite Megami's attempts to keep the craft steady and in the air. "There!" She spotted the clearing just after Flash pointed it out and fought with the Javelin for some semblance of a smooth landing. It was a bumpy ride but they somehow managed to live. Megami numbly reopened the hatch so they could get out. Flash gave the silver-haired girl a smile. "Well, they say any landing you walk away from is-"

In the few seconds it took them to leave the cockpit of the Javelin, they were surrounded by aliens pointing weapons at them. Flash quickly grabbed Megami around the waist and deposited her on the pilot's seat while he closed the hatch. "Get us outta here!"

Megami's eyebrow twitched as she got up. "We can't fly with the damaged wing." She cut him off as he opened his mouth. "We aren't using the weapons on them since it could kill them and yes, we can take them since we're fast enough to take them out. Now, come on! Are you a superhero or not?" She reopened the hatch and ran outside.

Flash was stunned as one of Earth's oldest superheroes jumped out of the Javelin and immediately started attacking the aliens. She flung her opponents into the air or into another as she danced around them. He was pretty sure his jaw was hanging open before he visibly shook himself and ran out to face the enemy. He snatched the guns out of their hands by the armful and deposited them into the Javelin, amused that some still continued to fire even after he took their weapons. When that was done, he went out again and did the same. Sometimes, he would knock out a few to help the kunoichi.

Megami, on the other hand, was knocking them out with hits to the stomach or the back of the neck once Flash decided to join in. At times, she would be slightly more brutal by hitting the throat when a beam of energy came too close to hitting Flash or herself. While she wasn't going as fast as her friend, she was still much faster than normal beings so the enemies were dropping like flies. Soon all but one were unconscious and he was unarmed and trembling at the threatening aura from the masked girl. The others took that time to land near them. "We have everything under control, guys," Flash said boastfully. Megami nodded, obviously pleased with herself.

"The Javelin is still on fire," Hawkgirl stated smugly as she pointed to the slowly burning wing that Superman was already putting out. Flash and Megami were confident but there were times when they got cocky and she felt the need to humble them when she could.

Flash and Megami smiled sheepishly. "Oops..." they said in sync. The two were caught up in the fight that they forgot about the small fire on the wing.

"Umm... We're sure he might know where GL is?" Megami offered awkwardly as Flash handed him to J'onn. The kunoichi made some clones to repair the damages caused by the aerial ambush.

J'onn scanned his mind, his eyes glowing as he did. There was a lot of fear, which was expected since he had witnessed Megami in a not so agreeable mood, and he had to move past that to get the information he needed. Once that was done, he put him to sleep and gently dropped him. "Green Lantern is close by. That way." He led them to a domed building that stood higher than the rest. Seeing as there were more of those robots guarding the entrance, they had to fly to the roof to find a more accessible entrance. J'onn supported Flash while Megami ran up the building.

Inside, they could see John and a thin alien on floating disks. Three mask-like faces were staring blankly at the two and a crowd of observers sat around the room. Unlike the masks, the people of Ajuris-5 had eyes that burned with rage and hate for the human. Superman was about to use his heat vision to melt the thick glass-like ceiling when Megami tugged on his cape. "Now, Superman. Entering without knocking is simply rude."

She ran to the very top of the glass dome and started pounding it. The first 'knock' caused a large crack to form. The crowd inside was panicking while Lantern and the three faces looked up in shock. Before Superman could stop her, she 'knocked' again and made even more damage. One last hit broke the dome and sent debris falling into the courtroom. She attached chakra thread to every single piece of debris and directed them to the unoccupied center of the room. She manipulated the air around her so she fell slightly slower than the chunks of ceiling and landed on the mound. She resisted giving them the Vulcan Salute and saying "We come in peace."

The others landed behind her. It was hard to tell with most of them because of their masks and J'onn's green skin but the former Marine could tell that Superman was embarrassed because of their messy entrance. 'Has she gone completely insane?' John telepathically asked the Martian.

'If she has, may every deity have mercy on the universe for she will not,' was the reply he gave. Still, the confident stance told J'onn that she was planning something and those who even thought about defying her will find themselves facing the doors of the afterlife. The League knew what she did to Superman and Green Lantern for minor offenses against her; they learned early on not to cross her.

The thin prosecutor called for order while the lead judge commanded the guards to capture and remove the League. Two horned guards leapt onto floating disks and charged at them. Megami and Superman shoved them away and they went flying off the disks and onto the floor. The Manhunters got ready to attack as soon as the guards were cleared. "Wait," Superman cried out. "We apologize for interrupting these proceedings but John Stewart is our friend."

"Then why did you break through the dome?" asked the judge on the left.

Megami's smile was the epitome of tranquil fury. "It's rude to enter a room without knocking and I wanted to make sure everyone heard me so they won't be surprised when we came in. We went through the roof since there were Manhunters guarding the entrance and I don't feel the need to fight at the moment."

"This is a public trial. The Manhunters would have let you in," stated the female judge.

Megami's smile suddenly turned more ominous despite the fact that she didn't move a single muscle. "They caused much destruction when they went to Earth to apprehend Lantern so we only had that impression to go by. Also, when we entered the atmosphere of Ajuris-5 in hopes of knowing what is happening to our friend, we were attacked and not given an opportunity to state our purpose for coming to this planet." She opened her eyes and showed the purple depths were cold and intimidating despite her smile. "I believe that we had the right to be distrustful of your security measures in these instances."

The entire courtroom was silent and tense. Unknown to the League, the dome Megami broke was made of one of the strongest materials that could be found on the planet. This was because the High Tribunal didn't want an accused to be rescued by his allies in the middle of a trial. Nothing short of a high-powered laser could penetrate through it and even then, the dome's thickness would provide ample time for the Manhunters to secure the accused. For the human to destroy it simply by hitting it three times was unnerving.

"Very well," one of the judges decided. "We shall recognize that your actions were brought about by a misunderstanding on our part. You may take seats in the gallery."

"But this tribunal will not tolerate any further outbursts."

"Thank you, your honors." Megami bowed in gratitude, her innocent smile still on her face as she followed the rest of her team. The audience sighed in relief as they went on a disk that would take them to their seats; some were awkwardly shifting away from Megami though.

Once the Justice League settled into their seats, the trial continued. The prosecutor called his first witness, the space pirate, Kanjar-Ro. The hunched bug-eyed alien walked up and gave permission for his memories to be viewed. Still, Megami didn't like how the prosecutor was building the case against John but the League had promised not to make more trouble.

Her eyes weren't glued to the section of the dome where the memory of the event was being played. She was more interested in his body language (1). She thought Kanjar-Ro avoided eye contact when he had said he had nothing to hide. He was tense and kept his hand movements small when he was talking about himself. He made wide movements as he accused GL of doing something greater than what he did as a pirate as if to shift the attention away from him since everyone one was hanging on to his every word. He recoiled when that beam shined over him though that could just be due to the intensity of light. The pirate looked over his shoulder before he started telling his tale, almost as if he was making sure that John couldn't get his hands on him. He never called John by his name or even by his affiliation with the Green Lantern Corps, always using pronouns when mentioning him. It was like he was afraid of his power or position as a Green Lantern despite not being able to do anything in his position right now.

She exchanged a look with Hawkgirl and knew that she came to the same conclusion. Kanjar-Ro was lying. The memory he showed was obviously real but there was still something off about it.

The judges called for a recess and everyone exited the courtroom. Most of the heroes rushed to GL's side. "Now I get it," Flash said happily as he reached his friend. "You wanted to clear your name. That's why you didn't out up a fight back on Earth." The others caught up soon enough except for Megami who slowly made her way to them. The Manhunters stayed close by in case the heroes did something to escape with the accused.

Despite GL's telling them to stay out of his business, Hawkgirl wasn't one to take an insult against her comrade's honor doing nothing but listen to the goings of the trial. "That scum's an obvious liar." She handled her mace threateningly as she watched the pirate make his way out of the courtroom. She wanted nothing more than to introduce her mace to his face but that would have to wait until later. "Give me five minutes alone with him and I'll get the truth."

Kanjar-Ro, who walked passed Megami by then, stopped suddenly and looked at her retreating back. He could have sworn the silver-haired girl had just told him something in a language he didn't understand. Superman heard what she said. "Anata no uso ha anata no haka de aru. (Your lie is your grave)." His Japanese was mediocre at best but it almost sounded like a promise... One that would end badly for the space pirate.

Her cold eyes were lit with anger. Megami shook her head slightly to tell the Kryptonian not to mention what he heard. He knew that this was the sole survivor of a tragedy that tore her world apart. Still, he would talk to her about what she said to Kanjar-Ro once they didn't have a crisis on their hands.

John finally made them listen. "Hawkgirl, Flash! All of you! Listen to me." He was desperate to get them safely off the planet as soon as possible before they did something stupid. "Nobody's lying. I did it... I'm guilty." J'onn felt the desperation and helplessness as the Green Lantern glanced at the rocks that used to be Ajuris-4.

Megami then reached him and surprised everyone with what she did next.

* * *

(1) I know nothing about reading body language so most of this is from the Internet, crime dramas or made up.


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Aftermath and Scars

John was on the ground, hunched over in pain. Around him were his teammates and friends, looking worried and horrified at what one of their own did. Looking down on him with bright eyes filled with scorn despite the smile, Megami calmly said, "Rule 22, 49 and 51, Marine. (1)" She reached the door of the courtroom before the Manhunters could forcefully drag her out. Before she left though, she had something else to say. "I suggest that you start using what you were born with or else I will rip them off and shove them down your throat."

Flash helped John as he tenderly got to his feet. The kick to his gut ached but he knew enough about physical injuries that it would just be bruised for a few days. "GL, you okay?"

"Yeah," he croaked.

"What did she mean by rule 22, 49 and 51?" the Thanagarian asked. As far as she knew, no one in the Justice League made any rules the rest of the team had to follow, never mind 51 of them.

After he got his breath back, John answered, "Some time during WWII, there was a gunnery sergeant name Kiba Wilde who unofficially made a list of 51 rules that all Marines have lived by since then. Variations of those rules somehow leaked to other branches of the Armed Forces. Rule 22: Always defend yourself from whatever attack comes at you. Rule 49: Always believe in yourself because others might not. Rule 51: Sometimes, you're wrong. The last two are some of the most difficult rules every Marine has to respect. But no one talks about them unless they're breaking in new recruits."

The Manhunters took John away and left the others to discuss John's trial. "Three billion gone... I can't believe it," Flash commented. It didn't make any sense to him at all. GL was too good a superhero for something like this to bring him down.

"Neither can I; Megami certainly doesn't either." Superman studied the rocks that used to be Ajuris-4. "I want to take a closer look at what happened. Megami hasn't steered us wrong yet; we can only hope that she's right about this as well." His words were met with slight nods. Though they've only come together as a team a few months ago, one can't deny that there's a sense of loyalty among them that could rival that of Kazumi's family given enough time.

"But where do we start?" Hawkgirl asked anxiously. "There's little left of Ajuris-4 and we don't know anyone else involved other than Lantern and the pirate. And it's not as if we can go against an entire planet to help Lantern."

Superman leveled a look at her. "I doubt Megami cares at this point; we can only back her up now. J'onn, I need you to come with me. Flash, Hawkgirl, you two find Megami and try to keep her from maiming anyone. See if you can buy us some time in court.

"You're asking the world's fastest man to slow things down? Won't be easy but doable. Stopping Megami from making someone's life hell is a suicide mission." Hawkgirl nodded. She wasn't one to avoid missions at all and hated having nothing to do but even she knew her limits.

Unknown to everyone, J'onn rolled his eyes. "Just keep her from doing too much damage." He knew that Megami was being unusually violent and unpredictable but she would never hurt others for no reason. Then he remembered the plans Megami had for Galius. The Martian cleared his throat. "... And please make sure that there are no bears of any kind present if she and a short Green Lantern called Galius meet." He ignored the confused stares he garnered from that request.

* * *

"Were you able to find her?" Hawkgirl asked as she landed on the ground. They didn't have much time until the recess was over. They had been searching for Megami since the other two left to check the remains of Ajuris-4. She took to the air in search of the kunoichi while Flash ran all over the city looking for her.

He was worried about the entire situation. First, GL was in hot water because of an accident. Then, Megami seemed to have completely lost it and became scarily pleasant while subtly threatening anyone who so much as looked at her wrong. Finally, he and Hawkgirl had to find her after she threatened to neuter GL while she was smiling. Flash shook his head. "You'd think it would be easy to find a really hot ninja girl with long silver hair here."

"Then you two weren't looking very hard..." They spotted Megami calmly walking their way. "I just went to the restaurant across the street from the courthouse." She decided not to tell them about being under a henge. Hawkgirl watched her suspiciously. "Just because I sometimes have violent episodes doesn't mean I start fights unreasonably," she deadpanned.

Hawkgirl led the way to the top seats of the courtroom while Flash and Megami trailed behind her. She gave the red-clad metahuman a smirk. "So you think I'm really hot, hmm?" His mask hid most of his face but it was child's play for a trained kunoichi to see the blush that was forming.

Before Flash could stop stuttering, the court reconvened. The judges stated that it was time for John to question Kanjar-Ro. "No questions," he said clearly. As soon as he said that, hundreds of toads hopped into the courtroom and began chasing people or spitting out wads of translucent slime in their faces. A few dozen or so were about as big as large dogs but most were larger, about the size of horses. Even worse, some were the size of elephants and were able to hop high enough to be able to squash someone.

Flash and Hawkgirl jumped to their feet as soon as the toad stampede started but Megami gently grabbed their wrists. "The judges said that we are not to cause any disturbances while court is in session," she told her friends. The gentle smile on her face was enough to tell them that this was a distraction made by the slightly insane kunoichi. They knew a bit about summons and that some towered over most skyscrapers but it was still unnerving to see toads of that size. Still, they needed to keep up appearances so they had to pretend to panic along with the rest of the room. Luckily, no one saw their initial behavior since all eyes were on the toads.

Flash immediately scooped Megami into his arms and ran away from the toads while Hawkgirl took flight. Megami wrapped her arms around the speedster's neck. '_This is a very nice bonus to the plan_,' she thought happily. Though a small pleasant smile was on her face, she was inwardly grinning at being in Flash's arms.

Hawkgirl was flying away from one of the larger toads that looked like it spotted a particularly juicy fly. While she could just use her mace on it, attacking one of them would defeat the purpose of Megami's distraction. Still, she wondered if the kunoichi's long years had made her slightly unhinged. The rest of the League had heard about the pranks she pulled on Superman and Green Lantern the night of her interview and what she had planned f or them before changing her mind through Sekkou and Kosshi. After this display, she never wanted to be on the receiving end of one of her nastier pranks.

With everyone screaming and running around, the judges' commands for the creatures to be dealt with were almost drowned. The guards were no match for the animals as they would slip on the puddles of mucus or be batted away by the larger ones. They tried catching the smaller toads but they were as successful as their battle with the bigger ones.

Two of the biggest toads stretched out their tongues and caught the space pirate and the prosecutor. While Kanjar-Ro was swallowed, the prosecutor was left dangling from the giant toad's mouth by his robe. A third toad spat at GL and covered him in slime. He choked on a bit that managed to enter his mouth and struggled to wipe most of it off his face. Some of the dog-sized toads got on to his disk somehow and started hopping up and down, making the Green Lantern lose his balance and fall flat on his behind. More toads jumped on the control panels of some of the disks, making the disks float erratically. One crashed into the screen where the judges' faces were being projected. The disk was completely destroyed while the screen had large cracks on it.

"Whe- the Ma-ters (Where are the Manhunters)?!" The lead judge demanded. His voice sputtered because of the ruined screen while their faces would randomly appear between bouts of static. The robotic hunters immediately entered the courtroom. They attacked the large toad that held the prosecutor hostage with their rods. The surge of electricity was too weak to outright kill it but it was immobilized for a few moments. The toad dropped the prosecutor, who landed awkwardly on his butt. Before the toad could recover from the shock, they combined their power of their rods to electrocute the amphibian.

The prosecutor laboriously got to his feet. "One of the large ones swallowed an important witness!" he shrieked. The Manhunters set their sights on the giant toads and aimed their weapons at them. They shocked the giant toads one after the other and tore through their stomachs to find Kanjar-Ro. The mess that was created made it even more difficult for people to run out of the room and to keep their lunch down. The Manhunters didn't care so long as they completed their objective in finding the pirate.

Once the pirate was freed from the toad's stomach, the Manhunters brutally attacked the remaining toads. Some had already fled from the courtroom while their larger brethren were attacked and the rest hopped this way and that to get away from the Manhunters. The robots exterminated the toads efficiently. "The cou- reco-ne soon –ess is clea- (The court will reconvene as soon as this mess is cleaned up)." came the splintered voice of one of the judges. The Manhunters led John away while everyone else left to get cleaned up.

Flash and Hawkgirl caught their breath just outside the courthouse while warily keeping an eye on an innocently smiling Megami. "You are completely insane," Hawkgirl gasped.

The odd smile never left her lips. "I have no idea what you're talking about, Hawkgirl."

"You were behind that frog stampede!"

"Firstly, those were toads; you can tell by the dry bumpy skin they have. Some toads find being mistaken for frogs rather insulting. Secondly, do you have any physical evidence to prove that I was behind it? After all, I might be able to change my appearance and make clones but the illusions dispel and my clones disappear as soon as they get hit. Fūinjutsu could take care of that problem but I'm the only one in this dimension who has full understanding of that and I'm hardly going to implicate myself now, am I? (2) Also, there are no toads of those sizes in the recorded history of Earth. There is also no scientific way for us to smuggle so many toads of those sizes into the planet with the Javelin so it would be utterly ridiculous to accuse anyone of the Justice League of being behind their toad troubles. Besides, that eerily convenient rampage bought us some time; I'd say half an hour to an hour if their cleaning services are as good as the one in the restaurant I went to." She decided not to tell anyone about the complete mess she made in said restaurant after Flash sped by.

"She's got you there, Hawkgirl," Flash said. Now that the 'danger' was over, he could see the humor behind the distraction. "Even these guys can't convict her just because they know she's behind it, especially since they don't how she did it."

Hawkgirl took deep breaths to control her irritation. She knew they were right and no one really got hurt so she grudgingly had to let it go. "In any case, did you notice the absence of some people in there?"

"Huh?" Flash had no idea what the Thanagarian was saying since they didn't know anyone on this planet.

"She means the other Green Lanters. I know they were present during the first part of John's trial but they weren't there a while ago."

Hawkgirl thought for a bit. "They'll notice if another distraction of that size were to happen again. Flash, you'll have to stay here and stall for more time. Megami and I will find the other Lanterns."

"Don't do anything that could get you killed, Flash." Megami squeezed his hand.

He gave her a smile in response. "Only if I have no other choice, Meg." The kunoichi gave him a non-creepy smile before leaving with Hawkgirl. They searched for the missing Lanterns, making sure to check every restaurant and bar. Hawkgirl insisted that she didn't use her clones in case someone was able to form some kind of connection between the sudden appearance of a large number of people and the numerous toads that rampaged through the courtroom.

"It's been over an hour," she commented. They had finished checking the last bar and still no sign of the Lanterns. "You think Flash will be okay?"

Hawkgirl paused. "He should be. I see him as the type to be able to talk his way out of almost anything." She led the way to another restaurant. "Still, it would be best if we convince at least one of them to speak in John's defense soon."

They went in the establishment and almost immediately spotted the Lanterns. They walked over to where most of them were making pigs of themselves. The tallest of the group was the only one who didn't get anything to eat while their friend could be facing his sentence. "Why aren't you at the trial?" Hawkgirl demanded.

Galius huffed. "We couldn't stand it anymore."

"John Stewart's made us all look bad."

Megami smiled again. It sent shivers down the backs of everyone who saw it. "It appears that the vaunted loyalty of the Lanterns is highly embellished. Are you not brothers-in-arms?" Hawkgirl raised an eyebrow at Megami's more refined speech but pushed her questions away for later.

"Don't get so high and mighty, ladies," Galius snorted. "If you're smart, you'll stay away from him too."

"Otherwise," Arkkis continued. "You'll end up reeking of his stench yourself."

The same moment Hawkgirl smashed her mace onto the plate of food, Megami lifted Arkkis by his neck and cut off his breathing. "Such a pitiful soul inside a warrior's body. Warriors who refuse to stand by their brother-in-arm's side in times of need are nothing more than spineless mice who scurry at the slightest noise." Her smile stayed on her face as she flung the masked Lantern into Galius who had stood up to tackle her. Hawkgirl clashed against the one-eyed Lantern who defended himself by forming a thin green shield around himself. The other Lanterns did the same except for Kilowog.

"My friends, please," the small blue alien begged. "No weapons!"

At that point, Megami's smile became more devilish. "I have no quarrel with that. To listen to those who should be supporting John drag his honor through the mud is more than enough reason for me to deliver retribution with my own hands." She turned to Hawkgirl. "Hawkgirl, how do you fare in unarmed combat?"

She smirked. "I don't need this mace to take the likes of them down, Megami," she said flippantly as she carelessly threw her mace away. It embedded itself into a column. The manager took that as a cue to get away from the group. "However, they might need their fancy rings to take down a couple of ladies who might not be too bright."

Galius deactivated his ring first and charged at them. His limbs were stumpy but they were strong. He launched himself at the silver-haired woman first at the speed of a cannonball. She sidestepped him and sent him flying into the wall on the other side of the restaurant at a much faster speed with a slight push. She then avoided the one-eyed Lantern's tackle and used him as a vault to plant her feet in the chest of the avian-faced Lantern. Galius tried to attack her from behind only to be avoided once again and joining his friends in a pile on the floor.

Arkkis swung his fists at Hawkgirl who expertly ducked under the poorly delivered punch. She delivered a jab to knock him off balance followed by a hard punch to the face and stronger uppercut to his chin, which sent him flying to the table.

"It seems that we have our designated opponents for the match." Megami placed her right hand before her as if asking for a dance. "Shall we see which side can dance until the end?" Hawkgirl followed up that taunt by cracking her knuckles.

Galius and Arkkis launched themselves at the women. Galius reached Megami first. She merely smirked. Galius' body was round and hard; he made a great cannonball. But the problem with cannonballs is that once it's in the air, they have no control over their movements. She swatted him away hard, enough to send him flying back and make his nose bleed profusely. He would have smashed through the window had Kilowog not stopped him. He calmly put his friend on the table and rubbed his wrist, closer inspection told him that it was severely sprained.

He just barely moved his head out of the way when Hawkgirl sent Arkkis flying through the window. He watched as Megami and Hawkgirl dominated the fight. The other two stayed down after the beating they had taken. Galius launched himself at them again. Megami spotted him heading towards her. "Hawkgirl, fly!" The Thanagarian swooped into the air as the kunoichi sent Galius to her by kicking him up. He was then again sent flying with a strong punch from Hawkgirl. Galius bounced off several fixtures and walls before Megami kicked him into Arkkis who had just reentered the restaurant. He gently rolled his friend off him before running towards Megami.

Just as he was about to punch the other, a thick shield of green energy kept him from enduring another beating from the members of the Justice League. "No more," came the slightly nasal voice of the biggest Lantern. He held up his hand in an awkward manner. "Hawkgirl and Megami are right. John Stewart's one of us and I'm gonna help him."

Megami genuinely smiled at the other. "Thank you. To know that John has a true friend within the Corps is relieving." She approached him and placed her hands on his injured wrist. "I apologize for hurting you while I fought the others," she said as her hands started to glow green. Within seconds, the damaged tissue was healed as if Kilowog had never been injured at all.

Kilowog and Hawkgirl flew to the courthouse. As Megami was about to take her own leave, she spotted the manager cowering behind the counter. She sent the Lanterns she a smirk before addressing the manager. "They shall be paying for any damages our little disagreement caused."

She ran out before any of them could voice any complaints. As she giggled over the small victory, she jumped from rooftop to rooftop to try to catch up to Hawkgirl and Kilowog. She glanced behind her to see if the other Lanterns were chasing her but spotted something else. It was Kanjar-Ro speaking to a Manhunter. She hid in the shadows but was too far away to hear anything. Her clones had taken apart the Manhunters in the Watchtower and sent her the information. This was as close as she could get to them without being spotted by the robot's sensors.

The ink stain on its head told her that it was the same Manhunter who came to Earth so she shouldn't have to wait long to find out what it was planning. She made another clone to head to the courthouse, enhancing it to keep it from being dispelled too easily. In the mean time, she would follow the space pirate who was heading for his ship.

Knowing that he shouldn't be gone too long since he might still be needed in court, Megami snuck onto Kanjar-Ro's ship rather than 'borrow' one from Ajuris-5. She had no problems with 'borrowing' one of their spacesuits though since they would fit her better than anything she would find on the pirate's ship. It was a fairly short but boring trip. She amused herself by doodling on Kanjar-Ro's suit and helmet. She was especially proud of the large bowl of ramen she drew on his stomach. She loved being able to prank people without being noticed.

The view outside soon changed into the rocky barren landscape of what looked to be a moon. '_Now why would the pirate bastard come here_?' Now that she thought about it, she didn't know where J'onn and Superman were either. All Hawkgirl and Flash told her was that they were also trying to figure out what happened to Ajuris-4. She watched the view carefully, looking for any sign of the Javelin, the heroes or something that didn't belong on the boring pale landscape.

She watched intently as Kanjar-Ro eased his ship towards a crevice. She spotted parts of a giant machine and raised an eyebrow. While the alien technology confused her, she didn't need to be a genius to know that it played a big part in whatever the pirate and the Manhunters were planning. The flight, boring though bearable at first, had now made her edgy. The few seconds it took to reach the crevice seemed longer than the rest of the flight.

She saw Superman and J'onn the same time Kanjar-Ro did. When he prepared to shoot at them, Megami smashed his head into the controls. The shot was fired but it thankfully missed the two heroes. She flung him out of his chair and towards the back of his ship. She took a glance at the controls, seeing that they were slightly similar to the Javelin. However, she didn't have time to figure out the controls as the ship was about to crash into the side of the rocky wall. '_Shit_.' She quickly grabbed the pirate by the back of his suit, ignoring his weak attempts to fight her off.

Just as she was about to break down part of the craft with Kanjar-Ro in hand, Megami gave an unrefined yelp as a strong arm wrapped itself around her waist. She dug her fingers into the material of the pirate's spacesuit while her free hand wrapped her captor's wrist in a death grip. An unnerving sensation flowed through her body as she turned transparent and passed through the walls of the ship. A glance at the pirate told her that he was in the same transparent state.

'_J'onn, you have wonderful timing_,' she thought to the Martian as she let go of the breath she unconsciously held. The lack of a fiery explosion told her that Superman stopped the ship from crashing into the wall. "So, aside from saving kunoichi from a doomed spaceship, what have you and Superman been up to?"

Though he was behind her, Megami knew there was a tiny smile on his usually stoic face. "Superman and I found that this moon's orbit is still intact and the device could be cloaking Ajuris-4," the Martian said as Superman set the pirate's ship down. He took the pirate from Megami to let her stretch her arms.

"So he's behind all this?" Superman asked. The reporter in him doubted it; Kanjar-Ro didn't fit the type to pull this whole thing together by himself.

"He wishes he were smart enough," Megami groused. She had gotten the information from the Manhunters' gathering while J'onn rescued her. "The Manhunters are behind everything and have a grudge against the Green Lanterns and the Guardians. On another note, programming robots to have emotions and then taking what they think is rightfully theirs is a very dumb idea. They bribed this guy to be their little errand boy and bit-"

"Megami!"

"What?! I'm 816 years old, Superman! I'm more than old enough to swear!"

"You're a superhero and people look up to you!"

"We're on a deserted space rock far away from impressionable, little minds!"

"That's besides the point!"

"I know not to cuss in front of kids! It's a hell of a lot better than the borderline indecent exposure you do everytime you wear your costume, Captain Underpants! I'll have you know that your costume doesn't just show off your muscles!"

Kanjar-Ro kept turning his head everytime one of them yelled as if he were keeping an eye on the ball of a tennis match. J'onn loudly cleared his throat to stop them from fighting like kindergarteners. "I see you have been keeping yourself occupied while on the way here." And she had. Aside from the bowl of ramen on the pirate's stomach, there was a drawing of pirate hat on the topmost potion of his helmet. One of his legs had a peg leg while an arm had a hook. Near his shoulder was a very detailed parrot that was blowing him a raspberry. The pirate blinked questioningly as if wondering how he didn't notice being doodled on.

Megami shrugged. "A girl's got to keep herself entertained somehow."

"Indeed," J'onn turned to Superman. "We must hurry back to the trial and present our evidence."

"All right, but one of us has to stay here and destroy this cloaking device."

Megami nodded. "You two go. Just dispel my clone and this thing will be in a million pieces. Now get going!" she said as she all but pushed the three aliens towards the pirate's ship. As she watched the ship leave, Megami started pacing. '_Please make it in time, you two_.' She paced as she waited for the duo to get back to Ajuris-5.

Fifteen minutes later, Megami had to deal with the rush of information when Superman dispelled her clone. What her clone had witnessed was the straw that broke the camel's back. "Those... Those... Doton: Dosenkiryū! (Earth Release: Earth Dragon)" The pale rock dragon reared its head and smashed its massive jaws against an important-looking component on the machine. A great explosion occurred, followed by smaller blasts. A number of choice expletives from many different languages erupted from her mouth and she started smashing up the bigger pieces of the cloaking device and pounding against the walls of the crevice. That was how the others found her and everyone was hesitant to draw her attention despite the need to hurry. Her family was with them now, having arrived on Ajuris-5 on Keigo.

"Uhh... Meg?" Flash said uncertainly. "We... kind of... have to go." Megami's eyes flashed in anger as she stomped towards the group, leaving small craters on the ground. The flight to Oa was tense. Keigo rested a hand on Megami's arm while Kosshi started to massage her shoulders. Sekkou kept up a steady flow of calming words in hopes of avoiding a meltdown inside the green energy bubble.

"Umm... I'm sorr-"

"Not another word, Flash!" She snapped at him. "Was that your idea of not doing anything to get yourself killed?! You and GL would have been gassed if my clone hadn't gone ballistic and turned the gas chamber into a crushed tin can!" She then turned to the Green Lantern. "And you! Do rules 22, 49 and 51 mean nothing to you?! I should be smacking you into a coma right now, you pinhead!"

"Jou-chan," Sekkou said loudly. "That's enough. If anyone is to blame for what's happened, it is the Manhunters. Besides, if you smack him into unconsciousness now, we won't make it to Oa." That quelled the kunoichi's anger enough to keep her from lashing out.

She then realized something. "Where's Hawkgirl?"

One of the Guardians carefully answered, "Your friend went to retrieve the other Lanterns from Ajuris-5. She was quite insistent that they assist in defending Oa to atone for slandering John."

She snorted. "It's a start."

* * *

This wasn't how it was supposed to happen. The Manhunters were supposed to dominate this battle. They were supposed to destroy the Guardians and reclaim the power that was stolen from them. They were supposed to have their revenge. Instead, hundreds of them were taken down because of a few dozen of the silver-haired human's clones that appeared out of nowhere. They had an odd purple glow emanating from their bodies like the green energy of a member of the Corps. They were too agile for their rods to do much good and close combat was suicidal for them. The guns protecting the stronghold of the Guardians at first also shot at the clones but were now assisting them in fighting off the invasion. So far, their combined efforts had been able to keep the robots from infiltrating the citadel.

The lead Manhunter urged his brothers to fight harder, insisting that the clones would be defeated and the Guardians inside the citadel were weakening. The green dome of light protecting the Guardians was becoming paler as the battle drew longer. Despite their fury sustaining them, the clones were slowly being overwhelmed. It was only a matter of time before their luck ran out and the Guardians would be left without assistance.

Finally, the Manhunters broke through the clones' defensive line and took control of the guns. "That's it. Rip them to-" He was cut off when a foot smashed into the back of his head and planted his face into the metal surface of the fortress.

"Would you shut up?!" the real Megami screamed as she took down the four who were in front of him with a whip made of purple energy. She quickly jumped off the lead Manhunter's head and hurled a chakra-infused kunai at him while he was down. The Manhunter rolled away from the weapon quickly, noting that the small dagger went through the thick metal wall.

Before she could launch another attack, Megami had to backpedal to avoid a series of shots aimed at her. Green Lantern came to her rescue by slashing though her attackers in a similar way to what she had done not a minute ago. "Got your back," he said.

"You're still not off the hook, John," she said with a glare. She made a finger gun and started firing violet bullets of concentrated chakra at the Manhunters behind him. "I'm heading inside to check on the other floating blue midgets. Keep everyone else safe from the guns and kick some metal ass out here."

The onslaught of the Manhunters' attacks had made many holes in the walls of the fortress and she quickly slipped inside, sniping the few Manhunters who managed to get pass her clones. She heard more explosions as she made her way deeper into the citadel. She made it to the room where the Guardians were with little incident. The ceiling was being torn away because of the Manhunters' relentless attack and the shield the Guardians erected wouldn't last much longer. She made four clones, which surrounded the shield. "Shishienjin!" the clones cried out in unison. A tinted purple box formed with the clones kneeling at each of the corners. "This should keep you safe while you rest," Megami said. "Stay away from the walls and please warn others about approaching the barrier recklessly." The tired Guardians nodded in understanding and gratitude.

As the barrier came up, the Manhunters swarmed the room. The kunoichi took out her katana from one of the seals on her arm. She easily slashed through the first Manhunters that came her way but they started firing at her when she focused on attacking one of them. Several blasts found their mark on her back and it slowed her down a bit. '_I'm getting nowhere fast like this!_'

They flew around and kept forcing the kunoichi to dart from one place to another. She was getting tired of playing keep away with the robots but she didn't want to destroy more of the building. Finally deciding on a plan, she let herself be cornered with a solid wall behind her and a horde of Manhunters in front. They lined up, charging their weapons. Before they fired, however, she gave them a feral smirk and disappeared in a poof of smoke. "Hyōrō no Jutsu." Ice encased all the robots, freezing them to the core. Megami appeared behind the frozen mass then flung the enormous block of ice at the barrier. It erupted into a large purple fireball as soon as it hit the wall.

One of the Guardians stood up shakily. "What of the Central Battery? Is there someone to protect it from the Manhunters?"

She blinked owlishly. "The what now?" The sound of electricity crashing through the halls and the roaring bellow of a Manhunter rang in the air. The green energy surrounding the Guardians left them and they fell to the floor. "Shit!" The clones dropped the barrier and all of them carried the Guardians to a more stable room.

From a hole in the ceiling, Megami could see a giant silhouette of a Manhunter inside the green pillar. There were hardly any other Manhunters outside so she dispelled the clones. Before the giant could do anything however, it dissolved into a slimy-looking mass of light and gathered back into the room it came from. Soon after, fireworks were shot into the air. "What the hell is up with the fireworks?" she asked the clones. They simply shrugged and began to check on the Guardians who were resting on their laps.

She ran to the room were the Central Battery was kept and found the rest of the League and the other Guardians were already there. "The other Guardians are resting with a few of my clones; they should be fine in a bit."

"We thank you for your aide once more, Naru Uzumaki Namikaze." The Guardians nodded and went to see their brothers.

"You've met the Guardians before?" Hawkgirl asked.

"I had a run-in with a Green Lantern some time ago. Had to help him with this jerk of an alien monkey who wanted to hunt down this awesome space unicorn for the usual take over his planet because I'm an egotistic psycho scheme. Last I heard, he was still terrified of mayonnaise. Afterwards, the Guardians wanted to make me a Green Lantern but decided that my 'tendency to cause mayhem, humiliation and psychological torment would more often be a public nuisance than an asset to the Corps' so they couldn't give me a ring and expect me to behave."

Hawkgirl would rather not dwell on how she got someone to be scared of mayonnaise so she turned to the lone Green Lantern of their group. "In any case, are you all right, John?"

The former Marine was uncomfortable. "You believed in me, even when I didn't believe in myself..."

"Hey, what are friends for?" Flash rhetorically asked.

"I made Rule 51 for a reason, John."

Superman gave them a smile. "Let's go home."

"Not yet," Megami said. "We still have some unfinished business left on Ajuris-5." She gave John a pointed look and the Lantern surrounded the group in a green bubble that would fly them to the planet.

* * *

Megami stormed into the courthouse as if she owned it. "The Justice League has some unfinished business with Ajuris-5 at the moment."

"And what business do you have here?" one of the judges asked.

The scarily pleasant smile was on her face once more. "The way I see it, Ajuris-5 and the Manhunters have done John Stewart and the Justice League wrong. Seeing as how the Manhunters have already been... dealt with, there is still the matter of you falsely accusing our comrade and almost executing two of our own. If I understand your judicial system correctly, that means that Ajuris-5 now has to answer to the Justice League of Earth."

"A few individuals can't possibly stand against an entire planet." The other male judge stated pompously.

"Maybe not but the Justice League of Earth can stand against the High Tribunal of Ajuris-5 who ordered the actions against my allies as they are the ones who hold responsibility." Her eyes narrowed as her smile widened. It sent shivers up the spines of those still present, including her own team.

"Are you threatening us?"

Somehow, the scandalized tone of her voice came out mocking and disturbing. "Oh, perish the thought. I am merely following your laws; on Earth, we have a saying: When in Rome, do as the Romans do. I'm sure beings of superior intellect such as yourselves can easily figure out what that means. The Manhunters might have manipulated the entire justice system of this place but it was still the High Tribunal of Ajuris-5 who endagered our planet and John's sector. Taking out a member of the Justice League leaves Earth incredibly vulnerable to outside forces as well as internal threats; taking out a Green Lantern puts his entire sector in the same situation. Of course the esteemed Guardians of Oa could choose another worthy being to use the ring but who knows how long that will take? I believe that's enough to charge you with being accomplices to the Manhunters, unwitting though you were. If not, then putting an entire sector of countless beings at risk to outside attack for an undeterminable amount of time is a grievous offense, don't you think? I believe that is enough grounds for an execution or four." Her eyes focused on the prosecutor who unconsciously stepped back.

"S-so you would e-execute us for being manipulated by the Manhunters?" The prosecutor's hands were trembling. He had helped put away numerous criminals and never felt fear for his very life. But this young-looking woman, who had done nothing but smiled and stated in an eerily calm way that she expected retribution, scared him more than the criminals who screamed curses at him. It was enough to put the fear of eternal pain and damnation into him.

"Hmm... the thought has some merits and entertains my vindictive side but I have a better solution. A compromise, if you will, for Ajuris-5 and Earth to make an alliance. Ajuris-5 will assist Earth in times of need just as the Justice League, Earth's representatives, will assist Ajuris-5. Also, should Ajuris-5 make any unprovoked hostile moves against Earth or the Justice League, I swear to you that I will unleash hell on the attacking force myself before coming here. This way, no one has to die right now and both planets will be sure to receive assistance should the need arise. Of course, there's the option to go about our interplanetary relationship the way it's always been with the promise that should anyone from Ajuris System attack Earth or any of its inhabitants, I will unleash hell on the attacking force myself before doing the same on the attacking planet."

"The judges have much to discuss, but I believe I speak for all of us when I say we find the second option more promising." The other two judges gave their assent. "You are unusually devious and intimidating for one of your species," The lone female judge remarked.

Megami finally dropped the scarily pleasant smile and smirked. "I've been called worse."

"...Please don't say that so proudly, Jou-chan." The tallest of her family pleaded.

Megami ignored Keigo's request and sauntered up to John. The former Marine had just walked away from the rest of the Green Lanterns and made his way to the kunoichi. "Megami, tha-" A gloved fist buried itself in his cheek before he could give his gratitude; the punch knocked John off his feet and it felt like his jaw was dislocated. He looked up and expected eyes filled with cold fury but saw disappointment and sadness instead. The Eternal Kunoichi walked towards the door followed by Keigo and Kosshi.

"Kazumi?"

The Tsukumogami blocked Flash's view of the kunoichi. "Her last moments in our world are the most shameful ones she has. In our world, living without fear was a privilege that only the strongest or those who are protected by the strongest can have, especially during times of war. She... didn't have someone like you to protect her when she was younger, Superman." He leveled a cold look at John. "She doesn't understand why anyone, especially a Marine who knows the rules she made by heart, would give up his life and freedom without trying to defend himself," Sekkou said with a coldness that didn't belong in his usually playful voice. "It's been nearly eight hundred years and she still won't forgive herself for what she did and what she wanted to do."

"Does this have anything to do with how she was acting earlier?

"She finds that smiling when other people expect swearing and a fist to the face make her seem more intimidating and unpredictable. As you experienced today, it works well... too well in fact." The spy said.

"What about that fight with the other Lanterns? She spoke differently and enjoyed taunting them." Hawkgirl asked.

"No matter what the situation, she always fights to protect. But there are times when her anger gets the best of her and it makes her go back to times when this world was more dangerous." Sekkou sighed. "There are many things you don't know about Kazumi. If you're lucky, she might let you know more of them with time. We'll be staying in the Watchtower tonight. You all might learn something if you stick around."

* * *

"Kazumi." He had hidden the League under a genjutsu and placed his sister under another to keep her from detecting them. Hopefully, the blatant reminder of her mistake would distract her enough not to notice what he was doing.

"Do you regret it, Ren? Letting me use my blood to regenerate you when you were still Kubikiribōchō?" She looked out at the vast emptiness of space, wondering just how many stars there were. She wondered if the constellations of her world existed somewhere for the umpteenth time.

"I can't say that I understood what you were doing to yourself when I was still a weapon, Kazumi-chan. Back then, I didn't have a body that could feel pain. The blade gets damaged in nearly every fight and the hilt gets worn but I didn't feel any pain. I had very few emotions other than anger and shock. Still, it was naïve of me to believe that you were doing what you did because you were repairing the damage I took. I should have realized it when you cut yourself even when I wasn't damaged..."

"You never knew what it was like to be hurt then; it was my fault from the start. I was the one who used you to cut myself. I was the one who hated myself for not being able to save anyone... for letting Obito take Kurama... for helplessly watching everyone around me die... I was the one who gave up..." Tears flowed down her cheeks as she remembered the pain and loneliness of being alone. But what hurt her most was the fact that she gave up. It was the only time that she did in her long life and she hated herself for thinking about killing herself.

Ren holds Kazumi close, letting her cry on his shoulder. Once the familiar exhaustion after crying became known, Kazumi stayed in her oldest friend's arms. Ren took her left wrist. "Sometimes, I can still see them, the bloody lines of your grief and self-hate." He gently kissed her wrist on the place where one of the deeper lines used to be. There used to be a scar where he had kissed but only the memory of it and others like it remained. "Your blood was the most potent and delicious that I had ever tasted (3) and a single drop was enough to repair nearly all the damage I took. Yet... I hated it as well when Sakura found out what you were doing and made me realize what you were doing was harmful to you. That's why the first thing I did in my human form was to make you promise never to give up on life again."

"I remember," she mumbled.

"You wanted to throw your life away when everyone in our world died. Because you had given up hope and saw self-harm as a means to punish yourself. That's why you were angry with John, isn't it? You don't want him to make the mistakes you made. He blamed himself for something that wasn't his fault in the slightest and was ready to give his life away to atone." It was a rhetorical question but she nodded anyway. "I'm sure he'll understand. For now, I'm taking you to bed; you've had a rough couple of days." He took Kazumi into his arms and carried her to her room.

She was unresisting and the smaller girl snuggled into the warmth of the sword that became her older brother. "You're very warm, Ren-niichan." Kazumi remembered when Ren was still made of cold steel and even then his presence was comforting. The kunoichi slowly drifted off to sleep as the rest of the League peeked out from the corner they were hiding behind.

* * *

(1) I made a variation of Gibb's rules from NCIS.

(2) Naru first made shadow clones and had them transform into the toads. They used the modified Henge no Jutsu that makes an actual transformation instead of a simple illusion. That way, there would be the blood guts, slime and stuff that would make a mess. Then she drew seals on them to keep them from poofing away when they got hit and to make them leave a solid body if they get killed for about an hour or two.

(3) No, Ren is not a vampire.


	7. Omake

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Omake: The 51 Rules

**Basics**

Rule 1: Don't fuck up. There's no place for idiocy outside of a comedy.

Rule 2: Always work as a team.

Rule 2.1: Even when you can't stand your teammate.

Rule 2.2: Especially when you can't stand your teammate.

Rule 3: If the enemy has the upper hand, break it by going crazy.

Rule 3.1: Do not to get your comrades killed when you go crazy.

Rule 3.2: Try not to get yourself killed when you go crazy.

Rule 3.3: Always have a way back to being sane after dealing with the enemy.

Rule 4: Always be vigilant.

Rule 5: Don't believe what you're told. Double check.

Rule 6: Never be unreachable.

Rule 7: Prioritize.

Rule 8: There's a time for words and a time to shoot someone in the face.

Rule 9: There is no such thing as coincidence.

Rule 9.1: But there is such a thing as luck.

Rule 9.2: Don't depend on luck to get the job done.

Rule 10: Never get between a Marine and his food/coffee/pogie bait (1)/etc. if you want to live.

**Offense**

Rule 11: If it seems like someone's out to get you, they probably are.

Rule 11.1: Better safe than sorry.

Rule 11.2: It's not paranoia if it's true.

Rule 12: If someone's out to get you, get them first.

Rule 13: Never go anywhere without a weapon.

Rule 14: Maintain said weapon before actually using it.

Rule 14.1: Know how to maintain and use it properly before actually using it.

Rule 14.2: Aim before actually using it.

Rule 15: Bring extra ammo because you can't kill anyone by throwing a gun at them.

Rule 16: Plan before charging ahead.

Rule 17: If the plan fails, improvise.

Rule 18: If improvisation fails, try not to get cornered.

Rule 19: If cornered, take as much of the enemy down with you as you can.

Rule 20: Never involve civilians, children, etc. unless absolutely necessary.

**Defense**

Rule 21: Never panic. Panicking encourages stupidity.

Rule 22: Always defend yourself from whatever attack comes at you.

Rule 23: Trust your teammates to have your back.

Rule 24: Forget what your hair looks like; never take off your helmet when you're on a battlefield.

Rule 25: Always find cover before engaging the enemy.

Rule 26: Keep low.

Rule 27: Never separate from the group on a mission.

Rule 27.1: Unless it's to corner or surround the enemy.

Rule 27.2: Or use the bathroom because no one wants to see you do your business.

Rule 28: Never turn your back on your enemy.

Rule 29: There is no shame in a tactical retreat.

Rule 29.1: Especially when it saves lives.

Rule 29.2: Or let's you live to fight another day.

Rule 30: No one gets left behind.

**Deception**

Rule 31: To keep a secret, the best thing is to keep it to yourself. The second-best is to tell one other person if you must. There is no third best.

Rule 32: Avoid deceiving your teammates

Rule 32.1: Always have a good reason for doing it.

Rule 32.2: Have some way to make it up to them by either winning the war that made you lie to them or doing a shit load of favors.

Rule 32.3: Those who break the rules are trash, but those who abandon their comrades are worse than trash.

Rule 33: Be convincing.

Rule 34: Always be specific when you lie.

Rule 34.1: Give enough details to be believable when you lie.

Rule 34.2: But there are certain things than no one needs to know.

Rule 35: If you get caught lying, bribe, threaten and/or kill the guy who caught you.

Rule 35.1: Unless he's an ally.

Rule 35.2: Make sure he's an ally.

**Stealth **

Rule 36: Don't get caught.

Rule 37: There are two only ways to follow someone:

1st way - they never notice you;

2nd way - they only notice you and not the traps/allies you have.

Rule 38: Always have a way out.

Rule 39: Avoid leaving evidence.

Rule 40: Take advantage of any and every distraction.

**Life**

Rule 41: There is no such thing as an ex-Marine unless he disgraces the Corps and/or himself.

Rule 42: When the job is done, walk away.

Rule 43: Treat all wounds and clean up all messes.

Rule 44: Never let your emotions cloud your judgment.

Rule 45: Ignore etiquette in a battlefield. Being nice could get you shot.

Rule 46: Never take anything for granted.

Rule 47: Never leave anything unsaid.

Rule 48: Be accountable for your actions.

Rule 49: Always believe in yourself because others might not.

Rule 50: Never take the easy way out; all it will do is make everyone remember you as a coward.

Rule 51: Sometimes, you're wrong.

* * *

"Is there any reason why you made this list, Gunny (2)?"

"I was bored and started doodling. Afterwards, I took a look at what I wrote and figured that a lot of it made sense and could even save lives and help us beat the Axis."

The general once more took a look at the list of rules that had spread like wild fire. He had to admit that he was right. "I'll let it slip this one time," he said grudgingly. "But you are to report to the psychologist ASAP!"

Gunnery Sergeant Kiba Wilde grinned as mischievous violet eyes lit up. Behind him, his cousins were shaking their heads in exasperation. While the rules made a lot of sense, they really wished that spreading them didn't involve unauthorized use of a helicopter, a wake-up call at four in the morning, lots of string, pies and piñatas designed to looked like actual bombs that still exploded (albeit not causing any damage (3)) and deposited hudreds of sheets of paper. Something told the general that he was in for a headache.

* * *

"So what's the result?" The general asked the doctor.

"My resignation!"

Elsewhere, the person known as Kiba Wilde was snickering like a lunatic. '_Perhaps it's time for Kiba to be missing in action... I've always wondered how the people in this world would take to someone with Lee's personality.'_

* * *

(1) Marine slang for junk food, usually potato chips, candy, pretzels, and the like.

(2) Marine slang for Gunnery Sergeant.

(3) A seal caused to make a weak explosion when someone gets within two feet of the piñata-bomb


	8. Chapter 6

AN:This is the last of my pre-typed chapters so the next updates will take longer. Sorry for the inconvenience.

* * *

Chapter 6: Memories and Conflict

Kazumi trudged into her family's condo, more than ready to flop down on the couch and pretend she had nothing more urgent to do than find a way to turn the TV on without moving an inch. The past couple of weeks were hard on her. First, John and the Ajuris-5 fiasco had drained her emotionally. Then, she more or less admitted to the rest of the League that her suicidal tendencies were more serious than she made them out to be in that stupid interview and they've been walking on eggshells around her. (Never mind that it was nearly 800 years ago.) She still hadn't forgiven Ren for what he did. Even worse, Tsuyu and Wanyūdō were on his side and kept saying that letting the others know about the worst thing she had done was a good thing. Finally, just because the world seemed to hate her this month, a playboy from one of her classes decided that she was his next conquest and wouldn't leave her alone. She nearly punched him in the face when he arrogantly declared in front of a crowded cafeteria that she was his girl. Thankfully, the whispered threat of being hung from a flagpole by his boxers was enough to nip any attempts in the bud.

Before she could shift her body into a more comfortable position, a phone somewhere in the house sounded. Unlike the normal ringing of a telephone, it sang the American national anthem. Groaning into the couch, she grudgingly got to her feet and went into the rarely used study. She opened the bottommost drawer on the desk. Taking out a thick tome about world history, the kunoichi channeled chakra into the bottom of the drawer where a seal was hidden. Unlike her other seals, this and the few others like it were designed to allow something to be heard only by them and to appear in a nearby isolated space whenever it was needed. The bottom faded away and revealed a phone colored like the Red, White and Blue waiting for her to pick up its receiver. '_It had been such a good idea when Alfred, Gilbert and I were drunk_ (1).' "As much as I like hearing The Star-Spangled Banner being properly sung, you better have a good reason for calling, Amanda."

The kunoichi was quiet as she listened to her, for lack of a better term, handler in the US government stated what needed to be done. Both ends of the line were silent as Kazumi thought about the situation. Ren and Wanyūdō were perfect for this mission because of their temperament and Wanyūdō's abilities but both were busy with their jobs and they already had enough trouble for leaving work early to help on Oa. She'll have to bring the League in.

"You do know that I think being on a submarine is essentially like being sealed into a tin can miles underwater, right? She didn't wait for an answer. "I'll need the help of the League on this one since the rest of my family is unavailable at the moment and I'm unable to use fire and wind techniques underwater effectively. The Green Lantern is a must in this type of mission because of the storm and the depth the submarine is in. If the USS Defiant is close to Atlantis, I need Superman and Wonder Woman since they have the best negotiation skills without the need to be annoying or snarky and we might be in for a fight."

"Are you positive their presence is necessary for this mission?" came the clipped tone from the other end.

Kazumi sighed. "As much as I'd like the League to stay out of operations like this, I don't have much of a choice. I can get into the Defiant by using Hiraishin without a problem thanks to the seals on every large crewed government and military vessel as per our agreement but to transport a normal person from the bottom of the ocean to dry land that way will pop something more vital than a few blood vessels especially if they're injured; I need Lantern to get them out safely while I take care of any injuries. As for Diana and Superman, we might need to negotiate with the Atlanteans and Aquaman isn't a fan of people on land. Also, I can't guarantee that we can get the Defiant but the crew will be back on land within two hours if I inform the Martian and the members I need right now."

"Very well. I want those sailors on dry land in two hours. What rank would this mission be?"

"Depends on whether I can get the Defiant or not. If I don't, it's a high C-rank. If I do, the government will be paying for a mid-B-rank. I'll give an exact ranking after the mission; you'll be getting a discount since I'm getting help from the League. If any of the sailors have relatives in or near Metropolis, have the Navy tell them to meet them here."

"Understood," Amanda said. "The payment will be transferred as always." She hung up without another word.

She replaced everything to the way it was as she contacted her friend. "J'onn, I need you to get in touch with Lantern, Superman and Diana. We're heading on a rescue mission at the bottom of the Atlantic." She gave him all the information involving the mission as well as general information on the Atlanteans and her contact in the government.

"And that woman who gave you that mission?"

"Long story. Let's just say I made several deals with the governments of a few countries over the years," she explained. "Amanda's intense but we can trust her not to stab us in the back... for now." She hurried into her costume as she spoke with the Martian.

"Very well. John and Diana will pick you and Superman up in a few minutes. Meet them at the Daily Planet and please be careful in dealing with the Atlanteans, Kazumi." J'onn cautioned. "They do not seem to be very agreeable."

"That's why Superman and Diana are coming. I'm horrible in formal politics so, ideally, my only role there is to be the medic. Then again, I have years worth of embarrassing stories to hang over Aquaman's head." She leapt out the window and ran up to the roof. It was a humid day so she kept her mask down. '_It's almost like back in Konoha_,' she idly thought as she jumped from building to building. If she closed her eyes, she could almost imagine the smaller buildings of her village.

She violently shook those thoughts away, scolding herself for acting like an old lady. She picked up her pace as the iconic structure of the Daily Planet came into view. Megami's sharp eyes could see the bright red cape of Metropolis' favorite son already there. "Hey, Supes," she said casually as she jumped up to the roof. The Javelin came just as her feet touched the globe.

The Kryptonian gave her a smile as they entered the ship. "Have you always worked for governments?" Superman asked as they flew to the Atlantic. They could already hear the sound of the rain hitting the Javelin as they left the shores of America far behind them.

"Not really. At first, my family and I were vigilantes like every other superhero; we just didn't advertise ourselves by having names or costumes or using our abilities so obviously. After the Second World War, there was an... incident with England and France and the British and French governments fought for our services until I got mad. Instead, we made a deal. Others learned about us and the same thing happened. We basically help them in protecting high-level officials, rescuing soldiers and a security and retrieval missions for a reasonable price. Aside from the money, they were to leave my family and I out of their political and military squabbles and allow us to choose which side we'd help in a war but they would always have an infallible way to contact us unless the governments broke our agreement." She tilted her head thoughtfully. "Now that I think about it, I'm in good terms with most countries but not their governments (1)."

"What do you mean?" GL asked out of curiosity. Megami gave him an irritated look that clearly said she had yet to forgive him completely. While the kunoichi had healed his jaw and apologized for almost breaking it, she made it no secret that she was still angry with him. Snapping his head away from her, GL reached for the radio. "USS Defiant, this is the Justice League responding. Help is on the way." He concentrated on flying the craft into the sea, if only to keep his mind off the glare burning into the back of his head.

"I've locked onto their distress beacon," Diana said. Megami and Ren had been teaching her how to handle the Javelin, along with Flash. They were strict and harsh teachers but she did learn well from them. While she was still insecure about flying it on her own, they said that she was more than ready to do so. "We're getting close."

"We're not the only ones," Superman said. He pointed out to the gigantic vessel before them. "What do you think, Megami?"

She got up from her seat and studied the craft. "It's definitely an Atlantean warship." She turned to Superman and Diana. "Now, Arthur is a stubborn man but if we make a deal that's beneficial for Atlantis, he might stop being such a-." They watched as weapons on the warship made themselves known and fired at them. "Bastard." She channeled chakra to her feet to keep herself grounded as the Javelin harshly dived to avoid the destructive attacks.

The larger vessel chased after them, forcing John to slide into an underwater ravine. The Javelin was built mainly for speed; what weapons they had would never be able to take down a ship the size of the Atlantean warship. John was able to trap the warship under some odd rock formation. "Lost them," the Lantern said smugly.

Megami tapped his shoulder and pointed ahead. "You were saying?" she and Superman said at the same time. The kunoichi gave the Man of Steel a look, to which he nodded.

The kunoichi made a shadow clone; she immediately opened the overhead compartment and took out the breathing masks and tossed them to everyone but John and her boss. The real Megami disappeared as soon her clone took charge. "You three, get out there and kick butt. Taisho is now in the Defiant and on her way to where the crew is. I'll take the Javelin."

John argued that half of them were supposed to negotiate for the sailors' and the submarine's safe return peacefully. Superman countered, "Those sailors aren't going to have a prayer if we keep playing cat and mouse even if Megami's with them."

"Besides, all bets are off when they tried to freaking kill us!" the clone added. "Now get out there!" Diana and the Lantern quickly obeyed, seeing the logic behind Superman's and Megami's words. They just barely escaped the Javelin when a warship's attack hit it, causing it veer off course and into the ocean floor. Even through the water and John's protective shield, the other Leaguers could hear much swearing in numerous languages from the Javelin.

They dispatched the warships quickly, knowing they had little time to spare. However, they were surrounded by more Atlanteans. "Halt!" came a commanding voice. "You have violated the sovereign borders of Atlantis. Leave now or be des-"

"Can it, Arthur!" Megami yelled as she swam to them. She cut through the water as quickly as her teammates could thanks to her chakra. She came from the Javelin's location so the rest of her allies knew it was the clone. "You're almost exactly like your old man when dealing with others! All you need is an act of sheer stupidity for me to smack you upside your head!"

He ordered his men to give them some privacy by waving his hand. "I am merely protecting my kingdom, Kazumi. I was well within my rights to attack."

"Don't take that tone with me!" She swam right up to him. "I might look younger than you now but don't forget who used to-"

"Kazumi!" Superman interrupted as he sensed that he was about to hear something he never wanted to. "Please explain what is going on."

"Like I said before, I've been involved with Atlantis for some time now." She gestured to the man she was just yelling at. "This is King Arthur of Atlantis, better known as Aquaman. Arthur, these are my friends and teammates, Superman, Princess Diana of Themyscira and John Stewart, the Green Lantern. And I also go by Megami nowadays. Long story. Right now, we're here to negotiate the return of the USS Defiant and its crew."

The king gave the downed submarine a look of contempt. "They should have stayed on the surface where they belong."

The kunoichi raised an eyebrow. "Just like how you should have stayed out of your father's study when you were five?"

Aquaman blushed. "That was different," he hissed.

She ignored him. "I believe that was four priceless heirlooms and a dozen or so ancient books that were victims of your 'trident practice' and several important documents were also a bit more than singed. If I recall, your dad was more than willing to give you a spanking."

Aquaman was breathing like a winded bull. "Are you trying to use our mutual history to retrieve those people?"

"Depends... Is it working? Because I also remember the first time you saw a pregnant seahorse," she commented with a smirk. "You were so adorable when you-"

"If I let the crew go, will you stop talking?" He raised his voice, knowing that Megami was cruel enough to embarrass him in front of his soldiers since she was annoyed that he attacked her team. He knew all of them also remembered the powerful surface-dweller and her family, who had been assisting Atlantis in her time of need for nearly two centuries. They would visit the underwater city on occasion and many of them had mentioned that they missed her antics over the past months.

Megami widened her eyes suddenly and took a more business-like attitude. "And the submarine?"

He glared at the kunoichi. "Take the crew but the vessel stays."

"No way," John declared as he inserted himself into the conversation. "That's a nuclear sub. If you think we're just going to walk away and leave it-" Megami was beside him immediately and smacked the back of his head. Despite his own energy field, that actually hurt a bit. Superman stayed close to the kunoichi in case he needed to restrain her.

"Please, as Lantern said, the Defiant is a nuclear submarine," Diana implored. "If the submarine is severely damaged, the material inside could seep into the ocean and damage the environment. Atlantis would be greatly affected."

Aquaman was silent before turning to Megami. "Is another you in there right now?"

The clone nodded. "Taisho is inside taking care of injuries the crew sustained when you rammed into them. Given the proximity of the sub to Atlantis, Taisho made sure the plutonium would not damage the surrounding area."

"Then we don't have a problem. Take the crew and leave."

"I want your word that neither you nor any of your people will remove the plutonium or the weaponry from the sub or use them or any technology based on them against those on land," Megami demanded.

Arthur narrowed his eyes at the kunoichi. "As long as I have yours that none from the surface shall come to take what is now the property of Atlantis."

"Done." John looked like he wanted to argue more but Superman told him that the crew was their priority. He did his part to rescue the soldiers though he kept his eye on the Atlanteans. Though his power ring protected him, the former Marine felt wary about turning his back on the people he saw as the enemy; it went against Rule 28. He was relieved when he broke the surface of the water.

Inside the green sphere, Megami and her clones were tending to several sailors. Most were lucky, getting only scrapes and bruises. However, a few had fractures, broken bones or concussions. One had a large gash on his chest and would have bled out despite the first aid he received if it not been for the kunoichi's healing techniques. The Lantern knew from experience that the entire crew's injuries would be healed by the time they made it to land. "Megami, why didn't you insist on taking the submarine back?" Lantern asked crossly. "The Navy will never accept the loss of the Defiant when you could have gotten it back had you just pushed that madman more."

"The Navy can kiss my ass −no offense, everyone− if they have any complaints! I made it clear with every government I work for that I protect and save lives, not retrieve their oh so precious hardware! Had my clone taken just five minutes longer, several of these people wouldn't be alive because the water was rushing in! My sealing techniques are strong but holding back an entire ocean was impossible with the space and time I had." She glared at the former Marine once she was done healing the soldiers. "Don't you dare lecture me about what I could have done, Lantern. I've been beating myself up about that for centuries. And that _madman_, as you called him, could make you drown in your bathtub so be more respectful when you talk about him!"

John's face was stony as he flew back to America. He knew that what he said was unfair to the immortal but he was frustrated with the partial failure of their mission. He didn't trust Aquaman or any of the Atlanteans with the nuclear material of the Defiant. Who knew what they could do with it?

Megami ignored him as they landed in the waterfront of Metropolis. Naval officers were standing by while worried relatives were craning their necks in hopes of seeing their family members safe and sound. There was an almost mad dash to the waiting group that was barely tempered by the soldiers' training and protocol. Megami watched with a sad smile, happy that she was able to keep those families whole for a while longer yet tormented by the fact that her only memory of her parents involved a similar event that ended tragically.

She slipped away from the crowd, opting to lean against a warehouse. The others could take all the attention; she was busy taking in the faces of the soldiers she rescued and their families. There were a wide variety of expressions. Some cried. Others had wide grins on their faces. Many had a combination of the two. There was the occasional confused yet happy face from young children who hadn't been told of the situation but were simply glad that they could see their relatives earlier than planned. This was why she started helping people in this world. She didn't care for gratitude, fame, power or wealth; all she cared about was making sure that a husband could return home to his wife, a grown child could greet his aging parents with a smile, children could able to spend more time with their parents as a family. They had what she could never have and she wanted to keep it that way.

Her eyes looked on as a young mother clenched her hands into fists as she tried not to break down in front of her husband, who was peppering a small wriggling bundle with kisses. Those two reminded her of her parents so much that tears started forming in her eyes. They had the exact same expressions as her own parents did the night Kurama was released from her mother's seal, both staying strong for a child who didn't know the evils of the world.

She was so intent on observing the small family that she almost missed Diana reaching out to her in concern. "Megami, are you all right?"

"Just a bittersweet memory resurfacing, Diana," she answered steadily. She blinked back her tears. "Nothing to worry about." She stayed there for a bit longer. She wanted to leave but she felt she needed to be here. It had to be her in person, not a clone, not an illusion, her. Seeing the families that could have been broken was always a sore spot for her. Every once in a while, sailors and their families would go over to her and thank her for saving the crew. Among them was the young father from earlier.

Once the crew of the Defiant left, Megami approached the highest commanding officer present. The kunoichi knew he would have been told about the League's involvement and her presence. He would be told the rank of the mission she just did and relay the message to Amanda Waller. "C-4. Kibi. Also, tell her that I have my reasons for ranking it so low," she simply said. That was the fourth cheapest price for a C-rank mission, just enough to rent a small apartment in a decent neighborhood. Kibi meant that there would be a twenty percent discount (2). Realistically speaking, the mission should have been ranked much higher, a C-10 at least, which would have been the rent of three-bedroom apartment for about two years and even with the presence of the League, there should have been only a ten percent discount.

She sighed as she walked away. Before, she didn't bother to stick around after a rescue mission. She cared about the people in danger of course but only enough to ensure that they were on friendly territory, not safely reunited with their families. Becoming Megami was changing her and she was very sure it was for the better and would continue to be troublesome. That thought made her eye twitch. '_Why on earth am I being so nostalgic today_?'

Kazumi decided that she needed to get away for a while. She bid goodbye to her teammates, explaining her need for some space, and slipped away from the harbor before using a simple Henge to look like a civilian. She sent her family a text message saying that she needed some time alone. They knew that there were only two places she would go, Atlantis or the pocket dimension where she kept paintings and memorabilia from the Hidden Continents and this world. '_I hope Arthur doesn't mind me dropping by, especially after what happened earlier_.'

She took out a bangle with a small diamond in the center. She put it on and subtly tapped the diamond with a chakra-laced finger. The bracelet had a twin in the possession of Mera, Arthur's wife. The kunoichi had given it to her when she had gotten pregnant months ago, saying that surprising her by turning up unannounced might be bad for her and the baby. The diamond on Mera's bracelet would flash red for a while, telling the Queen that she would visit. Though the baby would have been born by now, it was best not to test Arthur's patience today. She also decided to get something for the baby while she waited for Mera to tell her husband that she was coming.

Kazumi headed to the toy store and directly went to the stuffed animals section. She pondered whether getting a teddy bear would be a good idea since few Atlanteans had even seen a bear. She scanned the shelves and saw the perfect toy, a stuffed sea turtle. '_That should be okay_.' She hugged it and decided that it was soft and cuddly enough for a baby and went to pay for it.

She checked her watch. '_Fifteen minutes should be long enough_,' she thought to herself as she entered an abandoned alley. Making sure no one was looking, she released the Henge and took the turtle out of the plastic bag. A quick Hiraishin later, she was in the hall that Aquaman had reserved for her and her family's use. She breathed deeply as the sudden change in pressure, despite the dome surrounding the underwater city, burst a few blood vessels all over her body. They would heal within seconds but it still hurt a lot. She was thankful that her body was more resilient than a normal human's but she wished that it was as tough as an Atlantean's.

She stepped out of her room and was greeted by the sight of a beautiful smiling woman holding a little blonde baby. "Hello, Mera," she greeted with a hug. They became friends when Arthur started courting her. "And who's this handsome little cutie?" Kazumi asked while tickling the small boy.

The baby squealed in delight and tried to grab her fingers. "He's such a dear, Mera. You and Arthur are lucky to have him. I brought a present for him," she said as she handed the infant the stuffed turtle. He immediately hugged it and started teething on a flipper.

"Thank you, Kazumi. Arthur Junior loves his gift," the young mother said as she held her son close. "I informed my husband of your arrival before he was called away by Orm and General Brak."

"Oh," Kazumi commented uneasily. "He isn't too upset about what happened earlier, is he? I wouldn't embarrass him in front of my teammates when they just met, after all. I knew Superman and Arthur would stop me before I really said anything embarrassing."

Mera giggled. "No more than usual. He confessed to me that he was planning to aid the people in the vessel after some time had passed. He just was unaware of the seriousness of the injuries the crew sustained. He is more upset by the fact that many surface-dwellers abuse our home by carrying their weapons so close to Atlantis."

Kazumi stared at the wall sadly. "People take many things for granted, I'm afraid. Both here and in my home world and I doubt that will change in the coming years. I know for a fact that majority the people on land haven't changed for the better in the last hundred or so years." Mera smiled sadly as she cradled her child.

Arthur came into the young prince's nursery and heard what Kazumi said. He hated seeing his wife sad and, as annoying as Kazumi could be, he did care for her like an older sister. "Perhaps you should talk about something else. It seems that you've had quite a few adventures since your last visit." He held his son close as the little boy babbled and shoved the stuffed turtle in his father's face.

"That's one way of putting it," She replied with a wry smile. The Eternal Kunoichi began her tale starting from the attack on the Wayne Tech sub-station.

"That does explain why you were so troubled the last time you visited." Arthur commented. "Would those creatures who tried to invade the planet have come to Atlantis?"

"I doubt it. Most people on land didn't even believe in its existence until recently and it's not really something that comes up in everyday conversation. But, Atlantis would have still been in grave danger regardless of that fact. Atlantis needs the sun as much as the rest of the world does, after all," the heroine explained. She gave the king she had once helped take care of a meaningful look. "With how often Earth is in danger these days, it would be a good idea to have dependable allies on the surface world... if only to protect those you hold dear." Arthur nodded and left; he had a lot to think about.

Kazumi stayed for the rest of the day, playing with Junior and talking with Mera. It made her feel better, like the memories of Konoha, no matter how good or bad, weren't going to swamp her anymore. As she was saying goodbye to her friend, her communicator came to life. She excused herself and answered. "Megami here. What's wrong?"

There was a few seconds of silence. "What do you mean Aquaman forced his way into the World Assembly Building?!" she hissed. Though she tried to be quiet, Mera heard her and began to worry. "I'll be there in a few moments. Don't let that idiot king leave that building!"

She turned back to Mera and the baby. "I'm sorry, Mera. I have to get back to the surface. Your husband seems to be causing a disturbance in a political building."

"Will he be all right?" She held her son close. The baby seemed to have picked up his mother's anxiety and started fussing.

"I'll make sure he comes home safe. That's a promise." She didn't make promises often anymore but she still did everything she could to keep them. The Queen of Atlantis knew that and nodded. She gave the queen a smile. "Until then, take care of Junior and do not trust any news about Arthur unless it comes directly from me."

Within seconds, she was back in her apartment and cursing up a storm as she rode out the pain. '_When I get my hands on that idiot king, I'll strangle him with that fancy cape of his_.' She jumped out the window immediately after the pain became bearable. Megami glared at the security guards who tried and utterly failed to stop her from entering the World Assembly Building with Superman, Lantern, Diana and J'onn behind her. Diana silently commented to the rest of the team that her glare was more deadly than a gorgon's and the rest agreed.

She barged into the meeting room just as Aquaman said something to throw the entire room into a cacophony of complaints. The king stared directly at Megami. "I offered them a chance for peace and an alliance and this is their answer."

She merely gave him an annoyed look. "You do know that you're completely useless at gaining allies, right? Just so you know, it means sitting down and taking the time to compromise! Even kings on the surface don't expect to have all their demands met and people to kiss their asses!" she hissed. "These things take time with how countries and their representatives try to get every advantage they could. You should know that with how the nobles of Atlantis can be, Squirt!"

Hiding the wince at hearing a nickname she only called him by when she was either very playful or extremely angry, Arthur regarded the kunoichi in a kingly manner. "I've wasted too much time already. I only care for Atlantis and my people, nothing more." He moved past her without another word in favor of returning to his kingdom.

"At least your father knew better than to antagonize nearly the entire surface world." He stopped briefly before brushing off Wonder Woman's and Superman's attempts to get him to stay.

He angrily shoved his way passed the reporters as Kazumi's words replayed themselves in his head. His father had been a great king, one of the best in Atlantis' history; Arthur could only hope he was being half the king his father was. He had once told him that having Kazumi's counsel helped him become the king he was despite her crazy antics and he dearly hoped that he was doing the right thing by disregarding her words. The Atlantean king's greatest fear was that his decisions and actions would somehow bring about the destruction of not only Atlantis but also his wonderful family.

He paid little mind to his surroundings. All he wanted to do was go back to Atlantis, prepare for whatever conflict he instigated and hope everything would be settled without the need to go to war. It was true enough that his people's technology and abilities would give them the advantage but it would only last for a short time before his kingdom was overwhelmed. Should it come to war, he knew that the Justice League would defend the surface world while Kazumi would only save the non-combatants from danger.

Had he been more alert, he could have done something. Ran, dodged... anything. Instead, his inattention and time outside the water brought sudden excruciating pain before things started to fade. Before completely losing consciousness, he distantly heard Kazumi scream out the childish nickname.

* * *

The tension in the room was thick, almost as if it threatened to suffocate the superheroes. Diana kept a constant eye on the doctors' efforts to stabilize the king's condition without much success. Megami, on the other hand, was nowhere in sight when they arrived. They were told that as soon as the kunoichi arrived at the hospital and screamed at those present to do what they could for him and to keep him hydrated, she quickly disappeared with barely a flicker. That was not even half an hour ago.

From the waiting room, Superman listened intently to the doctors. He wasn't comfortable with using his powers in this manner but he needed to know the whole truth about what was going on in the emergency room to be able to inform Megami or there would be hell. They were a bit confused on how to hydrate the king when they couldn't get an IV in him until one of the orderlies accidentally spilled water on the patient. Splashing him with water was helping in keeping him from getting worse but offered no significant improvement to his condition. With no way to inject the needed substances into his system, the doctors feared that the Atlantean king would not make it to the end of the day. The lead doctor came out and gave a fairly sugarcoated report of Aquaman's status.

It was then that Batman stepped out of the shadows. He instructed the doctors and the orderlies to bring Aquaman to another room where some equipment was set up. Megami was already in the room, just finishing the preparations. "You better not turn me into a liar, Squirt," she mumbled. The doctor hastily placed the electrodes on Aquaman's chest to monitor his vitals before Superman gently dropped him into the tank. Almost immediately, his vitals began improving.

The kunoichi wanted to keep a close eye on Arthur, content in ignoring everything else. Her logical mind declared that there was no need to behave this way as the Atlantean would be fine within an hour but she couldn't. She was far too familiar with the feeling of loss but everytime one of her precious people was put in any sort of danger, a wound that was still healing always threatened to reopen and dig a little deeper into her heart. Still, she had other things to deal with. "All right, we need to find the bastard that tried to kill Arthur."

"We need to find out what he did with the plutonium! I went back to the sub and it was gone!" John seethed. "I told you we couldn't trust him!"

Megami met his heated gaze head on with a glare. She took a deep breath to keep herself calm. "Keep your voice down, John; we're in a hospital. Not to mention in the room of an important political figure who was injured on American soil. Speaking of politics, how could he plan or order to take the plutonium when doing so would undermine his effort to ally with the surface world and definitely start a war he would inevitably lose? Admittedly, he was complete shit at negotiations but the fact remains that taking the plutonium for his own uses would been counterproductive in gaining alliances with the rest of the world. Besides, he gave his word to leave it alone. He and the Atlanteans know I'd practically maim them should they go back on our agreement and attack outside of self-defense or a damn good reason. I would defend both the surface world and Atlantis if I could but I would attack either one if they threatened to make war with the other."

Had it been any other person who said that, the League would have pushed that it was hardly enough to consider seriously. But they also knew that Megami instilled loyalty, respect and fearful caution in her allies whether she intended to or not. "We'll take your word on it, Megami," Batman said. "But still, even if Aquaman didn't take the plutonium himself or order it, we have to keep in mind that only an Atlantean had the opportunity to take it."

Megami agreed. "Right, I have some questions about someone in particular..." However, she glared at John again. "Hit the tank like some impatient brat waiting for him to do tricks and I'll break your arm." The intergalactic fighter nodded, trying to hide his fear. Not long ago, he got away with an almost broken jaw because he didn't trust himself. He really didn't want to know what the kunoichi would do if he insulted her friend.

They waited for the king to wake. In the mean time, Megami had informed Mera of Arthur's condition and to act as if she knew nothing of what was happening in order for Megami to get a feel of the situation in Atlantis when she returns there. Several clones were made to guard the perimeter of the hospital. She would have gone out herself but with the hordes of media personnel just outside the hospital, the kunoichi had to make sure that the assassin wasn't hiding in the crowd or disguised as hospital personnel to get into Arthur's room and that other people entering and leaving the premises could do so without being harassed. She mentally shook her head and vowed never to become involved with the media unless she absolutely had to.

Finally, Arthur stirred. His long blonde hair danced in the water as he shook his head. "Kazumi?"

It made her smile. "Hey, Arthur," she said tenderly. Everyone else had opted to give the two their privacy to do some damage control. Diana and J'onn were soothing the ruffled feathers of the diplomats while Superman was acting as the League's spokesman to the diplomats and the media concerning Aquaman's behavior in the World Assembly Building. Batman had gone with them to see if he could get any clues on who tried to kill the Atlantean while Lantern was waiting rather impatiently outside the room. It had taken nearly two hours for Aquaman to wake up so they should be back soon enough. "Call me Megami when I'm wearing this outfit, all right? I'd rather not have people know that Kazumi and Megami are the same person yet." Arthur nodded. He stayed in the tank even after he woke up a bit more. "How are you feeling?"

"A bit better," he replied. He wished that her healing jutsu didn't have an odd effect on Atlantean physiology. Then again, he rarely saw the deceptively young-looking woman so gentle with him so he wanted to savor the moment. The immortal had kept her hand firm when he reached the age to be properly groomed for his birthright and had allowed no shortcuts when it came to her teachings. Healing normally made her act somewhat motherly towards him. Still, he knew that as soon as she checked him over and deemed him healthy, Kazumi would hit him over the head for making her worry.

The rest of the League came into the room as the Atlantean king nursed his head and Megami placed some privacy seals in the room. Batman reported that the hit man left little clues about his identity but the missile launcher he used was something an amateur wouldn't be able to acquire, never mind use. Whoever they were dealing with was very good at what he did. "I know of no one in the surface world who would benefit from this. The only dealings Atlantis has with the surface world is with Megami and her family so the only enemies I have made were your representatives and they would not have had time to contact this assassin."

"There could be a chance that someone in Atlantis has been planning something like this though," Megami stated. She ignored the way Arthur frowned at her accusation. "You'd be surprised what humans would do to gain power. I doubt an Atlantean is immune to the lure of power. Don't even think about defending your brother, Arthur. You and I both know that Orm has been jealous of you since your dad named you his heir. Marrying Mera and having Junior only aggravated his envy."

"Never mind that!" John had stewed silently for two hours; he wanted answers now. "I went back to the Defiant and found that the plutonium was taken! What would an Atlantean want with it?"

"None of my subjects would actively go against my word and risk displeasing Megami! She is not just a personal friend of the royal family since the reign of my great grandfather but she is also an unofficial trainer of the heirs to the throne and most powerful ally of my people! Even so, every one of my subjects know that she would raze Atlantis should we attack the surface world for no reason! If you have no trust in my words then at least realize that Megami would never allow those she holds dear to be harmed! That not only includes Atlantis but also the surface world!"

"Enough." They immediately backed down; neither wishing to irritate the kunoichi anymore than they already had. "Being suspicious of one another will get us nowhere so bottle up all that excess testosterone before I do it for you. Permanently!"

J'onn took the opportunity to voice his own opinion. "It seems that none of us have the answers we seek. Perhaps we should investigate the matter more closely."

"Or talk to someone who has information we don't." Everyone in the room turned to Batman as he explained what he had in mind.

* * *

(1) Another minor crossover idea. This is with Hetalia. It will not have a big impact on the story outside of omakes.

(2) Japanese name of year 20 in the Chinese sexagenary cycle


	9. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Intricacies and Justice

Megami was starting to regret agreeing to be a member of the Justice League. Don't get her wrong; she loved being a superhero since it allowed her to help more people and to use her abilities in public but there were some things that she didn't like. Firstly, Superman gave her some rules about not using excessive force against criminals and they still had varying opinions about how much force was excessive. For example, he was in the opinion that a kunai to the back of the leg or the ass was too much while she said that, unless it permanently maimed or killed them, it wasn't excessive. With her to heal the wounds she caused, she was in the opinion that there was very little chance for her to pass her own definition of excesive force. Secondly, John was starting to get on her nerves with his inflexible attitude. True, the man had a bit of a sense of humor and had honor and reliability oozing out of his pores but it was rarely shown in a positive light because of that prickly military persona of his and the concrete pole shoved up his backside. Then, there was the fact that most of their adventures meant a great deal of property damage and she, in good conscience, couldn't leave it that way so she had to use her favorite jutsu rather often to repair the damage since part of it was her fault. This time, she had to repair the streets that were torn up and the sewer system. Finally, she had wanted to 'speak' with Arthur's would-be assassin herself but Batman took him away before she could do so. It made her pout; she wanted to 'speak' with Mister Floyd Lawton, aka Deadshot, because of his intended target and his disrespect towards herself and Diana. Of course, there would be less speaking and more screaming on the assassin's part.

Oh... And then there's the fact that Arthur had knocked Green Lantern out and was probably already in Atlantis where there was likely more than a handful of traitors trying to kill him, to take over the city and, most likely, to wage war against the surface world. That definitely put her in a bad mood. "Reckless, impatient, stubborn idiot," she mumbled.

"I hope you realize that you are also describing yourself," J'onn stated. Because of his monotone and solid orange eyes, no one knew that he was highly amused despite the situation. She glared at him. The kunoichi was taking out her anger on the burning van by ripping out the door and slamming the flames out with it. Sure, she might have been able to do it with a simple D-rank water jutsu but she had to vent somehow and putting out a fire/destroying an asshole's ride was a great way to vent.

"First, I can't die even if I wanted to so I'm allowed to be reckless and idiotic at times. It also keeps me from being bored and you really don't want to see me when I'm truly bored. Also, I know how to be patient if the situation calls for it. I make sure no one but my targets are directly hurt, traumatized or affected by whatever incident I cause even if I'm hyped up on sugar, caffeine or alcohol or high. Lastly, my stubbornness has kept me mostly sane over the centuries so I see it as one of my most beneficial qualities! What's his freaking excuse?!" Megami slammed the door onto the side of the upturned van one last time, making it stick up like some crude imitation of a tombstone for the now unsalvageable and rather flat van.

Deadshot was extremely glad that Megami wasn't the one who dealt with him. It was rumored that she had Superman's strength, Flash's speed, Batman's intelligence, skills anyone would be jealous of and a violence streak wider than the Grand Canyon is long. He could verify part of the rumor, especially that last aspect of her personality, and it scared him. She was not just a superhero or protector; Megami was a soldier. It was the reason why he didn't try to run when the police took him away. Deadshot knew that Megami would be the one to catch him and make sure he wouldn't be doing any running for a good long time.

With Deadshot in the care of the police, Megami could move on to more important matters. "Who's up for a little field trip? It might not be the most hospitable place at the moment but Atlantis still has the best view of the sea and I have my ways of getting around without being harassed by the angry locals." The gathered heroes knew that they could choose to go or to stay. They didn't even need to think about their answer.

She then pulled out a pair of earrings identical to the ones Mera wore from her pouch for the second time today while her other hand was searching for her cellphone. "Mera, the Justice League has arrested the man who's trying to kill Arthur but the real threat is much closer to you than you realize. Trust no one and keep Junior with you at all times. My teammates and I are heading to Atlantis and making our way to my family's private chambers. Please stay safe." It was a shame that she had yet to make seals that allowed Mera to talk back to her when she contacted the queen in this manner. It would save her time on gathering information but she never intended the earrings to be used in this manner. She had first made them when she was informing Mera about her progress when she was searching for Arthur all those years ago. Superman found and freed him before she did though and they had never used them since.

With one conversation done, she moved to her phone. Her call went straight to voicemail but that was fine. "Aniue, I know it's late but our friends are going on a trip to the sea and I just have to go. I'll call when I need a hand, all right?" Similar calls went to 'Aneue' and 'Sofu'.

"Will they be able to understand where we're going?" Diana asked. To her, the messages sounded incredibly ordinary. She knew that she was calling her family though she had no idea what to make of the things she called them by.

"I would never address Ren, Tsuyu or Wanyūdō so formally if this were a simply late night trip to the beach. The intricacies of the Japanese language are something we can discuss at a later date. Furthermore, the only place that concerns us when it comes to the sea at this point in time is Atlantis."

Batman said that he would monitor what he could from the Batcave while the League boarded the Javelin and Lantern set a course straight for Atlantis. Megami made Lantern leave the Javelin miles away from Atlantis. "We need to get in undetected so we'll have to go on foot... so to speak." She even forbade Green Lantern from using his ring in case the distinctive glow was picked up by the patrols. Megami swam ahead of them, looking for any sign of patrols, traps or defensive measures that were sure to be activated after the attack on Aquaman outside the World Assembly Building. She knew the palace had TV reception and internet connection despite the depth; she helped set them up after telling Arthur that knowing what goes on in the surface world would help in protecting Atlantis from oil spills, avoiding ships that carried weapons and the like. Arthur would have told Orm and the generals about going to the surface to make an alliance so they would have seen the news and known about the attack on Arthur. They were the most likely people who would be heading the coup.

Just as she suspected, there were patrols nearly everywhere and it was only luck that they were able to get this close to the city without being spotted. '_Hmm... How to get in_?' The weapons defending the city were motion-sensitive and would fire at anyone whose movements were not recognized as the local marine life or part of the patrol movements. Her movements were never programmed into the system as she either used Hiraishin or rode inside Wanyūdō when she wanted to visit. While she could use Hiraishin at this point with nothing more serious than a bit of vertigo on her friends' part , she would have to depend on Mera's report on what was going on in Atlantis. While Mera was the queen, there are some things that a king won't tell his wife in case it was too sensitive to discuss outside of a war room and even stupid people wouldn't speak about coup attempts before a queen. She needed information from someone taking part in the coup.

The kunoichi refused to have her team hurt just to gather information. But whatever she needed to know had a high chance of being time sensitive and creeping around the ridiculously large and open palace did not sit well with her. Thankfully, Megami had a way to do both at the same time. She made two clones for her friends. "My clones can get you into the palace... Hiraishin is basically an instant teleportation jutsu so you might want to close your eyes or you'll be having a really bad case of vertigo. Mera will meet you as soon as you get inside and fill you in. Meanwhile, I'm going to get a bit of information from another source."

J'onn had a feeling that Megami was going to do something similar to what she did when they fought the Imperium. It was worrying that Megami insisted on putting others before herself just because she was immortal. Her injuries healed at an incredibly fast rate but that doesn't mean she doesn't feel the pain from them. He understood that the kunoichi merely wanted to protect her teammates with her abilities but it didn't sit well with him that Megami often got hurt and more severely than the rest of the League. She was just so... herself that it was irritating and worrying. Out of respect, he didn't read her mind. "What are you going to do?"

She transformed into Green Lantern and placed a plastic replica of the Green Lantern Corps ring on her finger before answering. "The Atlanteans know that GL doesn't trust them... I'm going to the submarine to get their attention. Hopefully, they won't suspect a thing and whoever's in charge of this coup has a big mouth and an even bigger ego." Lantern gave her a look of annoyance but agreed that it was the best way for her to meet whoever was now in charge.

"Don't take unnecessary risks," Batman ordered through the communicators.

"Have I ever done anything unnecessarily?" three voices asked in unison. Her teammates all said yes to that question. Despite the cool water, Megami felt her face warm up at the very true statement. Seeing a pout on Lantern's face was amusing and very weird for the League members present.

"I'll see you in a bit then." The clones twined their arms around the other heroes. They disappeared almost immediately. Megami, disguised as John, cracked her neck. She placed a seal on herself to keep her transformation active for when she was captured just in case. Megami enveloped herself in chakra, making sure that it was the same color as the Green Lantern's energy.

She waited until one of her clones dispersed and gave her the memories of the League with Mera before she headed out. She did the bare minimum to keep out of sight since, while she wanted someone to notice her but wasn't going to make it too easy for the Atlanteans. Within minutes, she was at the Defiant. So far, no one had spotted her. It irked her that the drills she made them do were all for naught; after all, she was glowing green and they still didn't see her!

She inspected the exterior of the Defiant before entering the room where the plutonium was kept. Like GL said, it was gone and she hit herself for forgetting to place security seals on the damn thing. She went to inspect the rest of the weapons onboard but found that they had also been taken. Her eye twitched in irritation. Whoever was behind this conspiracy was a dead man. "Time to meet the natives," she said in the former Marine's voice.

Megami made the green chakra glow more brightly before she swam out. She studied the single patrol unit that was guarding the submarine. She took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. The shift from impulsive and playful kunoichi to battle-hardened Marine was instantaneous. Her brow creased to mimic John's angry face to a T. The Marine swam out and was immediately attacked by the patrols. She fisted her hand and aimed at one of the sea scooters. Megami yelled in anger the same way John would when he was truly mad at something as she sliced through another scooter. She quickly swam up to one of the soldiers and punched him as hard as a normal human was capable of. That punch was enough to give him a bad nosebleed.

Megami belatedly remembered that, for humans, punching an Atlantean was the same as punching a concrete wall. She sent some of her chakra to her fist and manipulated it enough to cause the bones to snap. She grimaced as she discreetly broke her own hand and kept her chakra from healing the damage. It was excessive but necessary to make it seem like the real Lantern was the one fighting. The Marine put some distance between her and the soldiers and fired a thin beam of green chakra at them, making sure it looked like it came from the ring. The beam just barely missed one of the soldiers and made a rock formation topple.

There must have been backup hidden nearby because a battleship came from behind a mountain and started shooting at her. Megami twisted and dodged the shots; it was child's play for her and the chakra around her kept the debris the fight was kicking up from hurting her. It seemed that her natural abilities to avoid long distance attacks irritated her attackers and they let loose the depth charges. The Marine knew then and there that it was time to play possum, as much as she really didn't want to.

The cover the explosion gave her was the excuse she needed to dissipate the chakra around her. She made sure to make it look like she was knocked out so that the Atlanteans would bring her aboard and to their leader for interrogation. '_I just hope whoever is now in charge is taking prisoners or else people would think that GL's sleeping with the fishes... I can not believe I just thought that_...' If she weren't pretending to be unconscious, she would have hit herself for the stupid pun.

Even with her eyes closed, she could tell that someone was approaching her. She felt herself be dragged away. She was soon on the battleship and a scrambler headband Tsuyu conceptualized years ago was forced on her head. She fought to keep from grimacing at the annoyingly high-pitched beeping that assaulted her ears. It didn't help that her communicator was giving out static that annoyed her just as much. '_We need information. We need information. We need information_.' She repeated that mantra over and over to keep from ripping her restraints and the stupid headpiece. She used her chakra to plug up her ears. "Is there something wrong with the scrambler?" she heard someone ask. "The lights that show it's activated are blinking erratically."

'_Damnit_!' She released her chakra and surrendered to listening to the thing for god knows how long.

"It seems to be working fine now. It might be his weapon. Take that ring of his and give it to Lord Orm later; he'll be nothing more than a regular surface-dweller without it." Her hands were unshackled and the fake ring was taken. Afterwards, the soldiers didn't bother to restrain her hands again as the enemy was supposed to be unconscious and unarmed. When this was over, she really had to retrain the soldiers on standard operating proceures when dealing with prisoners. Megami was left to think.

'_I knew it. If Worm thinks I'm going to let him get away with this, he's got another thing coming_!' If she weren't supposed to be an unconscious Green Lantern, she would get up and smack the soldier for underestimating their opponent. Even if they didn't restrain her hands, Megami knew she couldn't do anything. Not yet, at least. There would be time for that when she dealt with Orm and the other traitors.

Soon, she was before Orm and forced awake. "So you're one of Kazumi's new teammates," he said smugly. "I didn't expect such a powerful being to ally herself with someone as weak as you." Megami groaned deeply and acted as if the scrambler was causing more harm than it actually was. "Then again, she is known for doing the most foolish of things. She could have conquered the world a thousand times over on her own and yet she chooses to restrain her awesome power and to aid worthless surface scum like yourself," he spat.

Megami grit her teeth and did her best to look like she was glaring while suffering through the mother of all migraines. "Where's... the plutonium?" She panted hard as if saying three words took the breath out of her. She wanted nothing more than to rip Orm's face off right now.

Orm smacked her with the butt of the trident. "Scum should not speak to their betters." The regent of Atlantis stepped on her broken hand while she was down and used the trident to fire magic at her. With her pain tolerance, it barely even registered. However, Megami made it look like John was stubbornly keeping himself from screaming as she worried about what to do if the seal were to break. She worked with many magic users over the years and magic and fūinjutsu supported each other when they were used in tandem. However, she and her friends had never gotten around to experimenting on what would happen if they were used against each other. Luckily, her seal held. Orm left quickly but the soldiers escorting her to the execution chamber took their sweet time. Being manhandled by people she helped train in front of nearly the entire city was not her idea of a good time. She let her chakra flow freely again as her hand set itself.

Megami was able to slip a seal on Brak at least. Of all the generals, he was the one who was the most likely to know exactly what Orm was up to. They had the same ideals and the same ambitions. She knew that they were the two most irritated by her and her family's presence in Atlantis despite the help they had given the city. They also wanted to take what they believed was theirs: control over Atlantis and the termination of the surface world. It wasn't just a possibility that Brak would go against Arthur for Orm; it was a certainty.

She was shackled to the wall of the execution chamber when she received information from her last clone. She threw her head back hard, destroying the annoying beeping headband from hell. The shackles broke with just the slightest tug from a very angry kunoichi and the guards were unconscious. All that happened in less than ten seconds. Megami immediately canceled the jutsu and made her way to meet her friends, all the while muttering about how she would punish the soldiers involved with the uprising. As for Orm, she had something special planned for him, one that would make him pay for everything he's done.

She didn't get much useful information from Mera. She was too worried about Junior and her husband to have anything she didn't already know. Brak might have revealed the plan to use the Doomsday Thermal Reactor to submerge most of the planet but that was the only useful bit of information she got from him. He didn't know where Aquaman or the baby were, what the power source for the reactor would be (though Megami knew what Orm was going to use), how he expected to get the rest of Atlantis' support for killing all the surface-dwellers, what Orm was going to do with the rest of the Defiant's weapons or how he was even going to live through her wrath. Even the most xenophobic Atlantean wouldn't go against her wishes to have a semi-decent relationship with the surface world.

She met them in her private room. She didn't care about the décor she ruined on her way here; things were replaceable in the way peace, stability and lives weren't. Mera was teary-eyed despite holding back her emotions. Diana was trying to comfort the queen while John was guarding the door. The last clone had refused to let them out of the room because they could be attacked by soldiers loyal to Orm so they used their other abilities. Superman looked like he had just finished using his X-ray vision to search for Aquaman while J'onn tried his telepathy to search for a thought about the king or the missing baby. He had orders to take note of whoever supported the usurper. "Any luck?" she asked.

"Aquaman and the baby aren't in the palace or on the grounds. Orm must have them somewhere outside the city."

They waited for J'onn to finish his own scan. "It appears that Orm has not told anyone of where they are. The only relevant information I could find was Orm leaving the city not long after he ordered the execution and returned in time to accompany a general and his men to the North Pole."

"Th-that is where Atlantis' last resort is kept," Mera said. "It is was designed centuries ago to melt the polar ice in case there was a threat from the surface world great enough that called for such drastic measures. When it became obvious that Atlantis would be safe despite the powerful beings on the surface world, Arthur had the power source destroyed."

"And Germ is planning on using the plutonium to power the reactor. The bastard took the other weapons too and I bet he's planning to use them either to intimidate the citizens into obeying him or to kill the few humans who would survive the flood. Before this day is over, I'm nailing his ass to a wall! Literally if I can manage it! J'onn, try to scan the area outside the city! Worm might be an asshole but he's a relatively smart asshole!"

"We have to warn the people!" Diana exclaimed. "The coastal regions on the surface will be in danger from the rising tides! The Atlanteans might not believe the Justice League but they would listen to you and Mera!"

"And Aquaman. He and his son just entered the city and are making their way to the palace! He needs medical attention!" J'onn cried.

Megami quickly did her favorite justsu and had one clone inform the healers about Aquaman while others used Hiraishin to get to the coasts to protect then. She released a gravity seal and ran fast enough to bring Arthur to her chambers before anyone could react to the shallow crater releasing the seal created. "Arthur!" Said ruler had his left arm was slung over Megami's shoulders while he held his precious son in his other arm.

"Mera, Diana, take care of Junior! GL, head to the infirmary directly across from this hall and see how the preparations are going! Supes, I need your cape!" Everyone went into action. Lantern was nothing more than a green streak of light while Wonder Woman and Mera took the baby. Superman practically ripped his cape off. He gasped when he saw the red blanket that was already dark with the king's blood. "We have to slow the bleeding more or lightheadedness would be the least of Arthur's worries!"

"Did he-"

"Less talking, more wrapping!"

Soon, the true ruler of Atlantis was being treated. Junior was snuggling into his mother's arms while Mera stood by his side. "Why aren't you healing Aquaman with your jutsu?" Diana asked Megami.

She didn't say anything for a long time. "How many times have I used jutsu on your internal organs, J'onn?"

"I... do not believe you have. You healed some burns I received from the Imperium but that was all."

"What about you, Superman?"

"There was that time at the space station and when I was shot by one of the Imperium walkers..."

The kunoichi shook her head. "The jutsu I used at the station was not designed to alter your body in any way so it was safe for me to use. When you were shot, I used a genjutsu that relied on physical contact and made you believe that the pain was taken away. The pain was still there; you just didn't feel it. You also didn't receive any actual injuries during both incidents. And when I 'healed' Kilowag's wrist, it was more on speeding up his metabolism so his wrist essentially healed by itself. Hawkgirl's bruised ribs from our first fight with the Manhunters were treated the same way. My chakra more on wrapped around the injured part of their bodies and aged them until they healed naturally. (1) A healing jutsu, on the other hand, directs chakra into the damaged part of the body and alters the body until it's in the healthiest state the user knows."

"When I absorbed the essence of my world, every bit of knowledge about and in it was basically downloaded into my brain. For example, my chakra immediately recognizes what the healthy state of an organism that existed in my world is, allowing me to heal it perfectly. Most animals, some demons and altered humans, for example, are safe for me to heal because they also existed in my world. However, there are some beings that too risky for me to heal because I don't have intimate knowledge of their internal workings and I don't know how their bodies will react to my chakra... In other words, the only ones can safely be healed by my chakra in the Justice League are my family, Flash, Batman and you, Lantern. I suppose what I'm saying is that if I were to heal Aquaman without knowing his body inside and out for something as serious as internal injuries or a crudely amputated hand, there's always a chance that I'd either kill him painfully... or, since Atlanteans and humans are vaguely related here, turn him human."

"So he took his own hand despite knowing that you can't heal him... I told you he was a madman," Lantern said dryly.

Megami didn't bother to turn to the Marine though it didn't stop her from voicing her displeasure. "What's so insane about it? I've done it many times before I came to this world and am continuing to do so. Soldiers throughout history, worlds and dimensions have fought and died in battle to protect what they hold dear. Even you risked dying to save the planet from the Imperium... A hand is hardly the highest price someone could pay." John looked at the ground, knowing that Megami had a point. He'll patch things up with Aquaman when this was over.

* * *

Arthur glared at the man. Orm had not only tried to destroy the stability of their city but also tried to kill his son. They might share the same blood from their father but, to Aquaman, Orm was not his brother. Yet, the man dared to call him that and beg for help. He reclaimed his trident and was about to let the traitor fall when something his long-time friend and teacher had said long ago came to mind.

_"There are worse things than death, little princes," she said absentmindedly after yet another sparring match where they had tried and failed to defeat her. Orm had said that it was lucky that Ayame (one of Kazumi's old names) was not trying to kill them. "A king has to make incredibly difficult decisions both for his kingdom and for himself. Those decisions might be simple from time to time but they are almost never easy."_

Perhaps it was time to practice what he had been taught. He looked up and saw Megami calmly observing while she was standing on the wall. "It's your decision, Arthur. Taisho will do what you ask as your executioner but you are the judge and Atlantis is the jury. Though I think it's safe to say that those loyal to the true king of Atlantis will find him guilty."

"Make sure he doesn't go anywhere. After the battle outside is over, I'd like the Doomsday Thermal Reactor and its plans destroyed and the submarine and all that was taken from it to be back where they belong." The clone immediately detached herself from the wall and grabbed Orm by the shoulders. With barely a blink, she flipped back up to the wall and encased the traitor in ice she made with her own chakra. Afterwards, she disappeared in a puff of smoke.

* * *

It was roughly a week after the incident in the Arctic Circle. After the battle, Orm, General Brak and his men were tried in front of the entire city. Kazumi didn't take part as a witness as she was to be the executioner. With J'onn's help, they were able to determine who were loyal to the crown yet forced to obey Brak and Orm and who betrayed Atlantis of their own free will. Sadly, less than a handful were only acting under orders. The guilty were stripped of their rank, worldly belongings and freedom. They were given seals that would not allow them to leave the boundaries of their prison without experiencing pain beyond their wildest imaginations. Brak was also to serve as the royal family's servant for the rest of his life with no hope for freedom. Should he displease his masters, they had the right to punish him as they saw fit without killing him. He had taken his own life not two days after his sentence was given. As for Orm, he was exiled, never able to return to his home. And Kazumi made sure of it in the cruelest way imaginable.

Kazumi was by Arthur's side as they left Orm behind. He was stuck on a sandbar. He was given a rowboat and enough food and water until he reached land. After that, he was on his own. "Was I too harsh?"

"No. Orm prided himself for being an Atlantean, a being that is evolutionarily superior to regular humans because of their natural environment. Take that away and he is nothing, as he should be. He knows very little of the surface and should do no harm ever again. I think it's fitting to turn him into one of the weak humans he despised and make him live on the surface. Besides, in the Golden Age of Piracy, a few days worth of food and water were all that he would be given other than a loaded gun. The fact that we gave him a boat means that he would be able to live and to make it to land in a few days; he should be grateful. Don't forget what I've taught you: those who break the rules are trash, but those who abandon their comrades are worse than trash." She started walking away but it wasn't in the direction of Atlantis or Metropolis. She needed time to think about what had happened to the boy she helped raise and train.

The League was troubled by this side of their teammate but knew that it had to be done. Orm would have kept attacking Aquaman until he was either victorious or dead. Superman watched as Kazumi walked on water. He gave Batman and Lantern a glance and saw that they were not objecting to this punishment. They, J'onn and Diana participated as witnesses at the trial and saw how much influence Kazumi had in Atlantis. As Megami, she was intimidating only when she wanted to be or when she was angry. But as the King's Executioner in her blood red robe, Kazumi was a very different person. She was an official, a professional. She placated the angry mob that wanted Orm's blood and told them that she would ensure that the traitor would not be able to return. People thought Aquaman was giving Orm a lighter sentence because they were half-brothers until it was revealed to the populace exactly what the king had in mind.

Clark had to wonder if letting him die was the lesser of two evils. While there were times when he disliked his powers because they set him apart from everyone else and always made him incredibly worried about hurting someone, the Kryptonian knew that they were a part of him as much as his arms and legs were. "Is this the right thing?"

"Orm is not ours to judge, Superman," Batman replied. "And it is not our place to judge another civilization's justice system. Would you rather Kazumi killed him or have him imprisoned so that he could one day be able to get revenge if he ever escaped?" Superman knew that Kazumi would kill if she had to but the kunoichi hated it as much as he did.

"Hate to say it but Aquaman did the right thing. If Orm was executed, people who think the way Orm does would see him as a martyr and rise up against Aquaman but if he stayed in Atlantis, Orm would eventually be able to regain allies and tear it down from the inside out. This way, Kazumi made it clear that she wouldn't let anyone get away with doing something like this again."

Diana watched as Arthur observed his brother getting the boat ready. "My mother would approve... She once said that Man's World was lawless and unjust. To see justice being served would ease her fears if she ever chooses to allow my sisters to leave Themyscira."

J'onn observed the three below. "Justice is a complex concept. It is not merely black and white. To us, this might not be moral but it is legal in Atlantis and, for the Atlanteans and Kazumi, this is justice."

* * *

(1) Healing aliens and beings that didn't exist in the Hidden Continents = time manipulation.


	10. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Technicalities and Healing

One Naru Uzumaki-Namikaze had gone to many different schools over the years under different names. If she were honest with herself, she would say that her favorite was kindergarten. No one got mad at you when you took naps in class, you got to make a mess during art time and eat in class without getting scolded, none of the teachers ever found out that one of their pint-sized students were behind the little pranks that abounded in school and the homework was easy. For example, she could recall one of the questions her last kindergarten teacher asked: what is your favorite weather? Her answer then was rainy days.

Right now though, Megami absolutely despised the rain. Oh, don't get her wrong. She knew that rain was important to the entire world's ecosystem. Perhaps she was simply blaming the rain when she should really be mad because of the fact that there were several incredibly stupid people still out and about during the worst hurricane Beach City has ever experienced in the last five years. The city had issued hurricane warnings all week and still some people decided to brave the elements. The kunoichi would have understood if they were getting last minute supplies like food, water and batteries but they weren't! One lady looked like she was only out for a walk in a nice fur-lined coat and expensive-looking high heels. No woman would ever be caught dead in the middle of a storm wearing those unless she wanted them to be ruined beyond repair. Then, there was Bernie. He owned a newspaper stand and didn't think that anything would go wrong until his little kiosk and all his merchandise were literally blown away! It was only luck that he went out before the walls caved in and possibly hit him. Megami and her clone quickly saved them from being flattened or stabbed by more flying debris. As soon as they were somewhere safe, the two profusely thanked Megami. She accepted their gratitude when all she wanted to do was yell at them for being complete and utter morons for disregarding the storm warnings until they were huddled into little balls crying for their mothers. It was mostly because of people like them that she was chilled and soaked to the bone.

All the water was making her think back on what happened with Orm, Brak and the other soldiers. Despite how heartless she acted as the King of Atlantis' executioner, Kazumi hated herself for what she had to do. It was necessary and the law to do so to those guilty of treason but Orm, Brak and the others who betrayed the kingdom were people she had helped trained. Not only that but Brak had killed himself and she herself had made sure that Orm would never be able to return to Atlantis. Between fighting and punishing the people you trained with and doing the same with people you trained, the kunoichi had to say that the former hurt a lot more. She had been the one who watched them grow from capable and semi-capable recruits of the army to strong soldiers and had been the one to make sure they became that way. All her teachings about loyalty and combat were either forgotten or used against the very city she had trained them to protect. '_Maybe the rain isn't so bad after all_,' she thought as she wiped her face. Even if she told herself that it was just the rain, Megami knew it was partially a lie.

Kazumi mentally shook her head at her thoughts. '_Ignore them. There might be more people to save_.' She did and began searching the southern sector of the city while the rest of the League was doing what they can to help. Her family was assisting in the search and rescue efforts eastern area while J'onn was responsible for the western sector. Superman had Diana in the north of the city until the Amazon was told to take some time off before her homesickness got her hurt. Thankfully, the storm was already somewhat weakening by the time she left so the other heroes could handle things in Beach City while she prepared for her trip home. Flash, on the other hand, was doing what he could to help those he would come across as he ran around the city.

'_I hope he's okay_,' she thought. Flash was fast and much smarter than most people give him credit for but there were times when he didn't look where he was going. As if by magic, he appeared before her in a flash of red.

"Hey, Meg," he said with a carefree smile. "Miss me?"

Despite her previous dark thoughts, Megami found herself smiling at Flash. "Only if you're up for some hot chocolate since we're more or less done here," she replied. She did a quick once over and was happy that he didn't look injured. '_The wet suit does outline his toned muscles quite nicely though_,' she silently thought.

He zipped up to her and wrapped an arm around her waist. "Make it ten and I'm there."

That was when he noticed that she raised an eyebrow at him. At first he thought it was because she was surprised at the number of cups he wanted. Then the fastest man alive remembered that she flipped him over her shoulder when he wrapped an arm around her when they first met. Flash slowly let go and chuckled uneasily. "Sorry..."

"You're learning," Megami said, obviously pleased. "Remember that not every girl is a hormone-crazed fan who would fall for smooth moves and pick-up lines." She gave him a little smirk. "I don't mind as much when it's you though~ Keep that in mind and it's a date~ Head back home and change into a dry suit. I'll meet you in the café across Central City Park in about fifteen minutes, all right?" Kazumi blew him a little kiss before she used Hiraishin to get back to her condo in Metropolis.

Flash simply stood there for about two minutes. Despite his accelerated metabolism allowing his brain to process information at incredible speeds, Flash was frozen, gaping at where the woman he had a crush on used to be standing. As if someone flipped a switch, he gathered his wits and ran around the city until he spotted the three demons who were Megami's family.

Sekkou promptly put away a cellphone. "Jou-chan said that yes, it's a date. Go home, change into a dry suit and meet her at the café. Don't be late."

"Now, I don't think we have to tell you but if you ever intentionally hurt Jou-chan, the three of us can and will make your life a living hell," Keigo added like the protective father figure he was.

Kosshi smiled at him. "You have twelve minutes to get ready, Flash. Better hurry." And just like that, Flash was gone.

"Think he'll act like a lovesick young man with his first crush?" the former carriage driver asked.

Sekkou laughed. "I think he already is. With how fast he could go, it still took him about three minutes to get his butt over here so I'm thinking he stood in the rain with his mouth open for a minute or two before coming to find us."

Kosshi slyly smiled. "Just like you when I gave you permission to court me." Her husband of many times blushed hard. "You were also more than a little clumsy the weeks before you finally gathered the nerve to ask and kept stuttering the first time you proposed." The fire demon smiled happily as Kosshi kept teasing her husband and hoped that his young mistress and Flash would have a happy relationship.

* * *

At the same time Sekkou was being teased by his wife, Flash stepped into the shower and started getting ready for his date. It wasn't his first date, not by a long shot. His first date was back in high school and he had gone on several dates with other women after graduating as well. There were even times when he'd get a date as Flash and get to tell said date about his adventures. Still, there was just something about Kazumi that made her different from every other girl he ever dated. (And that's with discounting all her powers and helping save the world with her.)

There really was no difference between Wally West and Flash aside for the mask, the speed and a very slight difference in the ego. As Flash, he got offers for dates almost every week and he would regale his date with his best moments. Like any young man, having many female fans made his ego swell but it soon began to lose its luster. At times, they would make polite comments or simply listen to him talk. Other times, his ego and stories would completely annoy or bore them. It wasn't his fault as there was very little he could really talk about seeing as how no one could make the connection between Wally and Flash without consequences on his part. As Wally, he did manage to make dates more enjoyable but he would never settle down with one girl even before getting his powers. Even on the few casual dates he went on afterwards, the forensic scientist had to be careful or he'd let something slip, which made dating rather tedious because he needed to eat almost constantly throughout the date. Any idiot could possibly figure out he was the Flash if people notice how much he ate because he wasn't careful. In other words, his dating life was on the rocks.

With Megami though, he could be himself without all the secrecy and vague answers. He didn't have to hide the amount of food he ate or ramble about his superhero adventures. He could be an average everyday guy on a date just like before despite the mask and suit. It helped that he also really liked Megami.

He raced through the city and reached the café within minutes. Soon enough, he saw Megami as she turned the corner. She wasn't wearing her kunoichi clothes right now, just a simple dark red V-neck sweater and black pants. Her signature long silver hair freely danced in the wind while her violet eyes twinkled gaily. Still, Megami somehow made the simple outfit look like it had come out of the cover of a fashion magazine. Flash could also honestly say she stopped traffic with how good she looked. "Hey, Flash," she greeted. "Hope I didn't keep you waiting."

"I just got here myself." He opened the door for her. There weren't many people as they reached the cashier so they chatted with the barista. Despite the stutters and the blushes, they had a fairly enjoyable short conversation and then the boy shyly asked for her autograph. She wrote him a quick note.

Dear Mike,

Never let anyone take away your smile,

Megami

They sat in a quiet corner as they waited for their orders. "That was a nice thing you did for Mike," Flash commented. "He hasn't been that well since his girlfriend broke up with him. Not many people would talk with a barista who keep stuttering either."

Megami giggled. "I think it's only natural he was a bit nervous. Flash coming into the café is probably normal for him since this is your city. On the other hand, I mostly only show up as Megami when there's a citywide, international or extraterrestrial crisis. Besides, I think we also shocked everyone since we're on a date." She gave him a playful smile, which he returned with a big grin.

The two superheroes didn't talk much about their adventures in their careers. They wanted to get to know each other without that part of their lives being the focus. They talked about their favorite movies, which one would have the best action scenes and which chick flick had put them to sleep the fastest. They gave a few details of the jokes and pranks they pulled of before and were planning. Flash's favorite was the time when she switched the coffeemakers of the Hokage Tower and Iruka's apartment. None of the so-called elite of Konoha could figure out why the previously divine coffee supplied in the shinobi lounge suddenly started giving them paint flavored coffee. If Iruka had taken to bringing his own coffee for his shifts in the mission room and hiding a smile behind his cup, no one noticed and he hadn't told anyone.

They spent a lot of time in the café. It had been a late July afternoon when they came in and they were still there when the stars came out. They both lost count on how many cups of coffee and hot chocolate they had. Megami jokingly commented that they ate enough cake to empty out a bakery while Flash was positive that they had enough sandwiches to triple the amount of bread the café usually bought. Megami noticed the staff staring at their little corner. "I think we made yet another scene."

"I think it's just you this time. They're used to seeing me eat. I think they're just surprised that you could eat almost as much as I do and still look so hot. We did order a lot after all." They split the bill between them and left the café.

Flash was just about to suggest a quick run around Central City before escorting her back to Metropolis when Superman called through the communicators. For some reason, Diana had practically demolished the Ancient Greek exhibit of the Museum of Natural History in Oxford (1). "Any idea what that's about," he asked his date.

"No clue. Diana must have a good reason for breaking into and trashing the museum though. All I can say is that our date either ended at almost the right time or that it's about to get really interesting and/or weird."

Flash almost winced at that. He hoped that their date ended at almost the right time. If their first date became _really interesting and/or weird_, there was a chance that they might not have a second date. "Is it becoming interesting and/or weird a bad thing?" he cautiously asked.

"Hmm... Weird isn't really all that bad. After all, what other couple can say that they spent part of their first date saving the world?" At Flash's amazed look, Megami smiled. "You go ahead, Hot Shot. I have to make a detour to Metropolis and change into my clothes." With that, she was gone again.

Flash ran across the ocean and said to himself. "Definitely not like other girls."

* * *

"So let's get this straight. While Megami and Flash were on a date and the rest of us were doing our own thing after dealing with Hurricane Gardner, you went back to Themyscira, found that it had been attacked and your sisters and mother had been petrified by a sorcerer. In exchange for freeing your people, this Faust person wants you to travel around the world looking for the scattered pieces of an artifact that could be anywhere in the world within 24 hours or they'll be left like that. Meanwhile, Batman is doing what he can to get as much information on this sorcerer as he can," Kosshi summarized. Megami glared at her as if asking why she just had to mention the fact that she had been on a date with Flash.

The Amazon princess nodded sadly. She knew that what she had done to the museum was wrong... maybe even illegal. It would probably be reason enough to be kicked out of the Justice League. Still, she had to continue on her quest for her home and her people. "I understand if you wish for me to leave the Justice League."

"I believe you once told Superman that it was not his fault that Carter tricked him into disarming the world's nuclear weaponry. You are in roughly the same situation," Keigo said sagely. "Also, no one could have anticipated that a guardian would be there to prevent someone taking the relic."

"I hope you realize that Faust can't be trusted though."

"Of course I don't trust this Faust," Diana said. "But what can I do?"

"I say we go there and kick that wimpy sorcerer's butt!" Flash said angrily as he ran to Diana's side.

"No. Men are forbidden to set foot on Themyscira. Besides, I gave my word that I would find these relics."

Kazumi had a determined look on her face. "Then let's find the other two relics, use the rest of the time to find out why this guy wants them and how to stop him. Then, you, Kosshi, Hawkgirl if she shows up in time, and I will go there and kick that wimpy warlock wannabe's butt and reverse the spell he has on your people." She turned to Sekkou who had been silent ever since they arrived at the museum. "Sekkou."

"Aside from the big holes in the walls and ceiling, the building is structurally sound. That wing will have to be off limits until the damage us repaired though. As for the exhibits, there's a lot of damage to the cases and duplicates. They either have to be extensively repaired or replaced altogether but luckily, all the actual artifacts are undamaged except for the vase an the stone guardian. I also checked the area and saw the police on their way here. They should get here in about five minutes."

J'onn's frown deepened. "The Thames Valley Police isn't as trusting of the Justice League as the Metropolis Police Department. It could take some time to explain the situation to them."

Megami quickly turned to their friend. "Okay. Diana, I need to know a few things. Did Faust mention anything at all on how to find the artifacts or if there were traps or guardians?"

"All he said was that the gems would react to the magic within the relics. I assume there are two others as he had given me three gems. He made no mention of guardians or traps though."

The kunoichi smirked. "That's all I need to know. Given that he gave you a time limit, we have to assume that the artifacts are either a danger to the rest of the world or he's impatient. But before we help you, we need this mess cleaned up first. All it would take is a few pulled strings, a little bit of storytelling and some cash." Diana wondered what thread had to do with explaining the situation but decided to ask another time.

"You're going to bribe the police?!"

Keigo rolled his eyes from behind his helmet. "No, Superman."

Megami chose that time to walked between Flash and Diana. She jumped off the roof of the building in time to greet the arriving officers. "Good evening to you, Inspector," she said with a perfect accent. "As I'm sure you've been informed by the night guard, Wonder Woman had some business in the museum after hours. Unfortunately, this is the result. Earlier this evening, Wonder Woman encountered a sorcerer who claimed that three artifacts that were hidden centuries ago needed to be found. He made no mention of why they should be retrieved or how they were protected but the League was in agreement that they must be a danger to the public and have the potential to change modern civilization as we know it owing to the fact that the sorcerer was quite desperate. Diana was the first to find one but she unknowingly woke a giant stone guardian. The ensuing fight caused much damage to the building but we have determined that none of the museum's ancient artifacts were damaged save for the guardian and the vase the relic was kept in. The League shall, of course, reimburse the museum for all the damage that was done."

The inspector was young; he had just gotten his rank just two weeks ago. As such, he had never had close contact with superheroes as most unnatural crises occurred across the pond. Still, he had a job to do and he wasn't going to allow the insanity that usually followed American superheroes stop him. "How are you to locate these artifacts? I believe the museum board would want to speak with Wonder Woman and the Justice League as a whole concerning the damage to the museum."

Megami took out the crystal Diana had with her as well as the piece of the relic. The princess awkwardly patted the pouch she brought with her to carry the crystal and the relic only to find it empty. "The sorcerer said that the crystals would lead us to the relics, which it did. The artifacts contain ancient magic that makes the crystal react to it. The Justice League only has a few more hours to find the other two crystals so we cannot stay. However, I shall vouch for Wonder Woman that there shall be no similar incident in the future and that the damages shall be paid for. If it is not enough, then please contact Lord Arthur Kirkland and your superior regarding this incident."

A few minutes and two phone calls later, the League was allowed to go on their way. If they weren't running or flying at breakneck speed to the Javelin, Megami would have been strutting like a peacock. Superman flew close to her. "Why did you-"

"I didn't lie to the police, Superman. I knew that lying to the police would get your knickers in a twist. Everything I said was the truth... or a version of the truth that wouldn't land Diana in the clink for breaking and entering, vandalism, theft and god knows what else the English Government would pin on her. The United Kingdom gets cranky when someone messes with their oldest university, after all. Besides, this gets Diana out of any legal trouble with the government and we get to leave on a technicality. My only problem with what I said was that I made Faust sound more like a concerned citizen rather than a sleazy, blackmailing pain in the-"

"Megami!"

She rolled her eyes. "I was going to say 'neck.' Really, Supes, you've got to lighten up a little. Oh, and Diana, you owe me for getting you out of trouble and making Faust seem like a nice guy. I still have a bad taste in my mouth for that..."

"You have my thanks, Kazumi." For some reason, the next few words made her feel as if she were walking up to an untamed chimera without any weapons or her magic armor. "How may I repay you?"

A smile bloomed on the kunoichi's face. "I'm taking you shopping. Now, on to more important matters, I can probably amplify the reactions of the crystals using some seals but it's going to take time since we're basically making two completely different arts work in tandem. If it were mortal magic, it would be so much easier since it's slightly more flexible but magic that the Greek gods use is more..."

"Sensitive?"

"Unyielding?"

"Resistant?"

Kazumi smiled at her family' suggestions. "Thanks, I was going to say 'bitchy' but your words were much nicer." She ignored the way Diana paled as they reached the Javelin.

Sekkou went into the Javelin to get the other two crystals while Keigo ordered the others to give her some room. "We're a bit pressed for time so we have to take drastic measures." She took off her gloves and handed them to Kosshi. Then, her hands became a blur that only Superman and Flash could see her making hand seals. Odd squiggles started to appear on her hands as she went through hand seal after hand seal. They almost looked like the seals she used for her fūinjutsu but they looked incomplete somehow. Only when she slammed her closed fists did something happen. A ball of swirling purple chakra formed before her hands, which she promptly sent flying to the top of a nearby wall. Instead of destroying it like they thought, the ball made a loud splat as if it had been a water balloon. The chakra oozed down the wall until it reached the ground. The chakra seemed to seep into the wall rather than drip down it and revealed an elaborate shōji door depicting grains of sand swirling in a wind.

"I just need twenty minutes or so to work on the crystals," she said distractedly. She gathered the other two crystals from Sekkou with a distracted air about her. "I'll leave the three of you to explain everything so I can get to work." The kunoichi stepped up to the doors, which opened up to reveal nothing than a bright world of white. J'onn had no idea where those doors led. It felt empty but alive somehow. It wasn't malicious but it was ominous. Their friend and ally disappeared as soon as she stepped into the light.

"What is that?" he asked the three demons.

"When Kazumi-chan first came to this world, she received an extremely huge boost in terms of power and knowledge. While her brain was able to process all the information during the time she was unconscious, she didn't have an opportunity to properly train in controlling her chakra until she left the village she was found in," the spy said.

Kosshi continued, "Because she had to regain her control as fast as possible, she used a forbidden jutsu. It would create a small pocket dimension where the flow of time is much slower than out here. A day could pass by out here but inside would be an entire year. It's great for training, catching up on paperwork or homework and generally slacking around but there's a catch. In the Hidden Continents, it was ranked as a forbidden jutsu because your body ages at the same rate as the flow of time inside. For example, if a baby were to be placed inside for a week, he would come out as a seven-year-old."

"There is also another reason why it is forbidden," Keigo said. "Other than the things you bring in, there is nothing else there. Nothing makes a sound, moves, or exists inside. Within a few minutes, sensory depravation sets in. Unless you have the necessary training or something to occupy all your time inside, it's very dangerous to enter the dimension. Also, twenty minutes out here is five days inside... Needless to say, Jou-chan is taking big risks."

Flash' brow furrowed as he warily stared at the gateway. "She'd go that far?"

Keigo sadly smiled. "It's Jou-chan. If there's a way she could make someone she cares about happy, she'd do it even if it ends up killing her. She did so when Sakura asked her to bring the Uchiha back 800 years ago and she'd work for roughly five straight days inside to help Diana-hime now."

"That's how she is."

"Don't worry so much though. She has had training to endure her time inside and something to work on. We just need to wait for her."

The next few minutes were torture for the rest of the League. They knew Kazumi was selfless to a fault but to jeopardize herself was pushing the limit. Yes, they were desperate but not so much that they were willing to risk their friend's fragile psyche. Even her family was worried despite their confident words as the minutes ticked by agonizingly. Flash, however, was obviously the most worried of all if the trench he was attempting to pace into the concrete was an indication.

Thankfully, Megami appeared from the door. She was a little worse for wear, smelled suspiciously of gunpowder, sweat and ashes and looked as if she hadn't had a good night's sleep in days. Flash had her in his arms the moment she was clear from the quickly disappearing doors. "You okay, Meg?"

"Fine," she mumbled tiredly. She snuggled deeper into Flash's arms and breathed in deeply as if to remind herself that he was real. "I'm fine... Tired..." she almost dropped the relic and the now paler crystals when she tried to give them to Diana. "They'll act up... in a few minutes..."

"We'll bring her home to rest," Kosshi said as she eased Kazumi out of Flash's arms. She met a little resistance from both of them but gently persisted until Megami attached herself to her sister. "Meet at our home when you have the other artifacts. Hopefully, Batman will have something on Faust."

Even if they all agreed, the rest of the League couldn't help but worry about Kazumi.

* * *

Flash watched as the Atlantic Ocean zoomed past. Normally, he would be running across it but he needed to think. "We all worry for Kazumi, Flash."

The young hero frowned. "Don't look in my head without my say-so..."

Despite the somber atmosphere, J'onn's lips lifted to form a tiny smile. "One doesn't need to be a telepath to know where your thoughts lay."

Flash was frustrated. "I know we need all the time we can get and whatever she did to these crystals help a lot. I just wish I could do more than help her after something bad happens. We all know she used to blame herself for what happened to her world. She could have died when the Imperium tried to invade Earth but was up and about after only a few hours to fight and heal those who were injured. She was almost completely out of it when GL got in trouble in Ajuris-5 and I know she blames herself for Aquaman's lost hand, the kid's assassination attempt and that general's suicide but all I can make her feel better when the worst is over!" He seemed to deflate in his seat. "I just feel so useless..."

J'onn was quiet for a while and Flash almost went back to his thoughts when he spoke. "I talk with Kazumi often about losing my home. Unlike Superman, she knows exactly what it feels like to lose everything you have yet still have the strength to keep fighting. With how long we've lived, memories start to act against you. The good and bad times remind you of what you've lost and that there is no way to get them back without crossing a line you cannot cross without losing your humanity. However, whenever you, Sekkou or Kazumi do something amusing, I am able to remind myself that I have gained something as well. It cannot replace what I have lost but it is a welcome comfort nonetheless. Kazumi feels the same way whenever she is with you."

"...You really think I help just by being with her?"

The Martian placed a comforting hand on Flash' shoulder. "When Kosshi tried to take Kazumi from you, you weren't the only one who resisted. Even when she knew she was safe with her family, she felt the most comforted when she was with you. Just by being with her, you help more than words can describe."

* * *

(1) The exact locations of two of the artifacts were never given. Just Museum of Natural History and Metro Mall so I'm giving them locations.


	11. Chapter 9

AN: Minor elements from Percy Jackson and the Olympians but, again, should not affect the rest of the story.

AN 2: My first detailed fight scene so please bear with me.

* * *

Chapter 9: Plans and Punishment

Batman snuck into the condo. If it had housed any other family, he would be in and out without anyone noticing him. But this particular unit had a top-notch spy that that could find out everything about you without even moving a muscle, a knife-flinging seductress who used her bones as weapons, a demonic fire-user who mastered more than a handful of martial arts and an 816 year old female ninja who taught the other three all that she knew in terms of combat. No matter how quiet he was, he knew that he would always be greeted as if he repeatedly rang the doorbell until someone answered the door.

For example, tonight Batman had taken the pains to make sure that he landed on the roof of the building without a single sound. He made sure that his cape didn't rustle in the wind and that he hid in the darkest of shadows. Yet Wanyūdō still greeted him as soon as he entered the room with a tray holding a steaming cup of French Roast. The billionaire must have shown some form of irritation because the fire demon chuckled. "You are a hundred years too young to even begin to try to sneak up on us, Batman. If it makes you feel better, you might be able to get passed Jou-chan right now if you're quiet enough... Maybe."

Bruce Wayne might be a handsome billionaire playboy, but he was so much more than that. He was a successful businessman, a genius strategist, an awe-inspiring hero and an extremely suspicious individual that could, would and had listened in on his teammates' conversations during their missions through their communicators. He knew about Diana being blackmailed by Faust, their encounter with the police, the League helping her get the other fragments and Kazumi going to a pocket dimension to make and place seals that would make searching for the relics quicker at the cost of five day's worth of sleep. The fact that he **might** be able to sneak past the sleep-deprived kunoichi was a bit of a blow to his ego.

The Dark Knight didn't bother to react to the (probably) unintended taunt as he accepted the coffee with a nod. Perhaps he should take the demon's advice on this matter... if only to put a stop to comments such as that from ever coming his way again. "I have some news that the others might want to know about Faust."

Wanyūdō nodded in understanding. "Ren said that the others had reached the location of the other relics about an hour ago. They should be on their way back. By then, Jou-chan would be awake."

"Will she be able to help Diana with Faust?"

"She's a kunoichi, my friend." The old man cast a sad look at the sleeping kunoichi's door. "She might be a few decades out of practice but she is unfortunately willing and able to put her basic needs aside, especially if it to help a friend. She will be ready for a fight when the need arises."

"And the others she mentioned earlier?"

Wanyūdō smiled in a way that made him look like he had an upset stomach. "Immortals have a way of meeting one another, Batman. We normally have a decent relationship with most though there are times when Jou-chan and a few others get on one another's nerves. The ones Jou-chan spoke of, however, have a personal interest in this mission so they should give some help. Lady Hera and Lady Artemis are extremely cross with Faust for what he did to the Amazons. I am certain that Lady Athena is planning something as we speak. Lord Hermes would help if asked though I am unsure if he is allowed on Themyscira and I believe that there's a chance Lord Ares will... make things interesting if he catches wind of this."

For some reason, Batman didn't like the sound of that. "Does she have some problems with Ares?" Normally, he wouldn't jump to such a conclusion but Kazumi had a rather... coarse manner.

The demon politely coughed behind his fist. "In a sense. It's ancient history for Jou-chan but Lord Ares loves being difficult. Most of the time, Jou-chan can control herself but that war god has always been able to make her angry very quickly."

Batman merely nodded. If there was one thing about women that he learned, it was that there were things he would rather not know and could live without. Among such things were past relationships and what caused them to turn sour.

The others returned to Metropolis with their hard-earned prizes some time after midnight and Tsuyu woke Kazumi up. She was up and about as if she had a dozen shots of espresso by the time Flash was through the door. She allowed the red-clad superhero to fuss over her for a bit before stopping him. "I'm completely fine, Hot Shot," she said good-naturedly. It had been a while since anyone other than her family was worried about her so it was a nice experience... She didn't plan on allowing him to fuss over her often though.

Batman led them to Faust's home after he asked the three demons to monitor. It was dark, dreary and full of items for dark magic, weapons, books on the occult and a few questionable liquids in beakers and vials. There were no personal effects at all: family pictures, books for recreational reading, knickknacks that didn't have some sinister purpose... It was more like they stumbled on a museum instead of a condominium. "Where'd he get this stuff?" Flash asked, "Warlocks R' Us?" He picked up a staff with a transparent jewel. He peeked through the jewel and smiled as it magnified what he saw through it.

"All over the world it seems... There are things here from Europe, Africa, Asia and Central America. He has no future as an interior decorator though since this place is full of artifacts that could blow a hole into the wall if mishandled." As if on cue, the staff in Flash's hands activated and a bright violet-blue light came from the jewel and shot towards her.

Batman cried out a warning. Megami saw the blast coming straight at her but made no move to dodge. She simply raised her hand and coated it with red chakra. The blast hit her hand and the two opposing energies clashed. A small explosion occurred and left nothing but soot on the kunoichi's glove, which she ignored. "Flash," she said with a hint of warning. "I know that you're curious about the magical items Faust left lying around like a sloppy frat boy would leave out old pizza boxes and beer bottles but how about you put the lightning-spewing scepter down?"

The young hero laughed sheepishly before gently setting the scepter back on the table. Batman berated the younger for his carelessness. "We don't know what kind of powers we're dealing with so don't touch anything!" Superman and J'onn quickly replaced the items they were studying while Diana moved away from the desk that held a skull and a worn book.

"Now that we've made it clear that many of the things here can demolish the room and any clues Faust might have left behind, what do you have on Faust, Batman? I think I've heard the name before but I can't seem to remember where..."

"Felix Faust was once a respected professor of archeology," Batman reported as he took out a picture of the ex-professor. "But when he became fascinated with the mystic arts to a disturbing degree, word within the campus was that he was kicked out of the university for his heretical ideas even though it was publicized that his dismissal was because of a large number of sexual harassment allegations. He swore revenge on those who mocked him and several later disappeared under mysterious circumstances."

"I remember now!" Everyone looked towards Kazumi as she held up the photo. "It's Freaky-browed Pervert! (1) He tried to get fresh with me a few months before we all met. The university I attend couldn't find any proof that he was actually practicing dark magic since he always seemed to know when he was being inspected. Instead, they decided to make it seem like he was being fired because of sexual harassment... Then again, he had a lot of offenses stacked against him... I was the first one who volunteered information and soon, there were more than fifty allegations against that pervert. The only reason he wasn't arrested was because the university didn't want to lose face by making this blow into something bigger than the university board could handle privately unless they had to. The ones who disappeared were his most vocal opposition." She scanned the room and grimaced. "And I have a pretty good idea what happened to them," she said as she directed everyone's attention to three stone faces.

"Eww!"

Batman had been flipping through the latest entries of a journal while Kazumi explained how she knew Faust. "It gets worse. I found his journal. The last entries make reference to Tartarus." An eerily convenient lightning bolt streaked through the previously clear night sky.

Diana was aghast while Kazumi became paler. "The Pit of Lost Souls."

"Isn't it just a myth?" Superman asked.

Diana walked to the shelf that held a Greek vase depicting two men fighting. "If only it were. Long ago, in ancient times, the Titans were the rulers of the world. It was said to be a Golden Age as mankind lived innocent and free of all knowledge. However, my lessons with my mother say differently. Many of the Titans were barbarians who killed and ate humans at their pleasure; Kronos, the Titan king, was the cruelest of them all. At times, I lay awake in terror when I remember all the horrors I was told about him; it is why the Olympians' victory is a battle of which the Muses still sing. When Lord Zeus threw the Titans into Tartarus and he and his brothers divided the world among them, Lord Hades was tasked with guarding the direct entrances of Tartarus to ensure that their father would never resurface. To aid him, my mother, who had fallen in love with Lord Hades even though he was wed to Lady Persephone, guarded that entrance and broke its only key and scattered its pieces across the globe to ensure that the gate could never be unlocked. Over time, many of the entrances were destroyed until only the main gate under Themyscira remained. Mother told me she kept one of the pieces in the temple as a daily reminder of her love for the god."

"Then these relics we've gathered are parts of the key."

Flash grabbed the biggest part of the key from Superman. "But why would Faust want it?"

Batman, in turn, grabbed it from Flash and set it on the table. "Only one reason," he said before taking the other parts of the key and assembling it. "He intends to use it."

"It seems the better question would be who does he intend to free..." J'onn stated. "Though Faust would have the key, I doubt that the gate is the only thing keeping those imprisoned there locked away."

Meanwhile, Kazumi studied the shelves and spotted enough reference material on Ancient Greek festivals to put together more than enough information on even the least known celebration and a desk calendar with a rather crude rendition of the Attic calendar (2). The last Attic date was written on today's date and circled twice in red. It was as if Faust was begging for someone to put the pieces together. "Diana, are there any festivals or sacred dates held in honor of the Titans? Specifically on the twelfth day of Hekatombaion?"

Diana became paler as she realized what her friend was suggesting. "Kronia," she replied breathlessly.

Flash was nervous. "I'm going to take a shot in the dark and say that it's Kronos." Kazumi grimly nodded.

"The myths say that Kronos was cut into thousands of pieces before being thrown into Tartarus. It's likely that he's been attempting to reform ever since he was imprisoned. Even so, he won't be able to escape Tartarus alone and that's why he contacted Faust," Batman reasoned.

Kazumi ran a hand through her hair. "Even worse, Athena and Artemis told me that, as the Titan Lord of Time, Kronos was able to manipulate time in any way he wants; it was one of the reasons why it took the gods ten years to beat the Titans. Fighting him is going to be difficult and ridiculously dangerous since he could simply freeze us in place and do who knows what. The fact that he can't die will also make a fight with him an uphill battle with flaming boulders raining down on us."

An uncomfortable silence hung in the air. The League was caught between a rock and a hard place. If they didn't give Faust the key, the Amazons would remain petrified forever but the world would be safe. But then, Diana would lose her home, her mother and her people and that wasn't an option. Yet, if they did, Faust would release Kronos from his prison and bring the world back to the horrible time when he ruled. There was also no guarantee that Faust would uphold his end of the bargain or that Kronos would leave the Amazons be once he was released.

"Kazumi, can we not trick Faust by shapeshifting into parts of the key?" J'onn asked.

She shook her head. "If Faust is as good a sorcerer as we think he is, he'll definitely know if one of the pieces were a fake since there's magic within the relics. I'd have slightly more success in fooling him but chakra and magic leave entirely different impressions. It's like trying to compare Ichiraku ramen and the Sistine Chapel; both are great works but so dissimilar you would have to be complete shit at magic or brain dead not to notice the difference." She sighed heavily as she dug through drawers and cabinets. "I have a friend who's amazing at strategies and well-connected enough to help us kick Faust' ass but I need a few things to get a message through."

"What do you need?" Flash asked.

"I need a rainbow and..." She grinned widely as she found what she was looking for. "A little bit of gold." She held up a cookie-sized gold coin with the face of a woman on one side.

* * *

"Faust!" Diana yelled as she flew into the ruined temple. She had the assembled key hidden under a sheet as she landed before the sorcerer. On the outside, she was angry. However, on the inside, she was a bundle of nerves. Kazumi had contacted the goddess, Athena, to inform her of what happened on Themyscira. She had promised to send help and had given the kunoichi a strange bit of advice, which made her grin evilly and come close to cackling. Kazumi had told Diana to wait outside after that so that she had no idea what her most likely insane comrade was planning. Afterwards, Kazumi simply handed her a blanket to cover the key with and was told not to ask questions.

Not that she didn't trust Kazumi or have faith in Athena but... '_How will Kazumi being sneaky and cutting loose help me_?' she asked herself. "_And how is she to reach Themyscira when the gods themselves concealed the island from Man's World thousands of years ago_?'

"Back already? And with hours to spare... I'm impressed," the former professor said smugly. "Your lovely mother and I were having a riveting discussion about the amazing things you've done during the eight months you've been gone. Have you got the relics?"

Wonder Woman tossed the sheet aside roughly and demanded her mother be set free. The sorcerer was quick to comply. He summoned the Medusa Amulet to his hand and reversed the spell on Hippolyta and hid it away once more. He admired the key. Despite its less than awe-inspiring form, Faust could feel ancient magic flowing from within the relics and that filled him with an indescribable sense of pleasure. This told him that neither the Martian nor the self-proclaimed goddess was disguised as a piece of the key. Faust barely held back laughter that was bursting to escape. The horror the Amazon Queen's face simply made it more worthwhile. The former professor once more summoned the amulet. "Thank you for your assistance. But now that you usefulness is over... Petropa kis-"

He was interrupted when his face was suddenly smashed by the bottoms of a pair of boots that belonged to a certain pale-haired woman. The same person snatched the gorgon-engraved amulet and the key when Faust accidentally let go of them. "Kazumi!"

"You've brought an outsider here," Hippolyta asked in disbelief.

Megami looked back at the mother and daughter. "We've met before, Polly. I just looked differently and had a different name. Besides, I came here on my own."

"What is the meaning of this?!" Faust yelled as he held on to his bloody nose.

The kunoichi smirked. "That sheet wasn't to keep the key warm (3), Freaky-browed Cross-dressing Dumbass." She stuck her tongue out. "Did you really think Hime-chan would trust a scumbag like you?" Megami stuffed the amulet into her pouch and used her pinky finger to clean out her ear.

"Insolent fool! I am one of the most powerful sorcerers born in this century!"

She turned to Faust as if just realizing he was there. "Sorry, did you say something?" Her tone held no trace of repentance. She had a bored look on her face that every student would get during a boring lecture and she was giving more attention to her pinky than to the sorcerer.

Faust snarled as he hurled a magic bolt at the kunoichi. The attack caught her off guard and the kunoichi had to duck low to avoid being hit in the face. At that moment, Faust summoned the key back to him with his magic, making Megami create clones in an effort to take it back. While she wanted to beat the bastard until he couldn't tell if his head hurt more than his ass, she knew that Superman would throw a hissy fit if she did. Also, with the toppled pillars and blasted up walls, she couldn't risk damaging the temple even more unless she wanted it to collapse on them. She was quick but she still had to keep in mind that the magic bolts she dodged could cause more destruction to the temple, destroy a petrified Amazon or hurt Diana or Hippolyta.

'_I hate to say it but Faust is actually pretty good_,' she thought. Already, two of her clones had to take hits to keep an Amazon from being hit. She was defending Diana and her mother from falling debris and stray magic bolts and weapons while her clones were defending the others and having a hard time trying to get near enough to make a grab for the key. Faust seemed to be able to know when one clone was sneaking up behind him or when she or the clones were trying to attach Chakra Threads to take the key. It didn't help that he isn't as scrawny or unfit as the way his robe outlined his body suggested.

"Hime-chan, I need back-up," Megami whispered. It spurred the Amazon princess into action. Her clones distracted the sorcerer while Diana charged at Faust. She flew straight at him with her fists out in front of her and knocked him over. He fell down the stairs and lost the key once more; a clone grabbed it.

'_Finally_!' Kazumi thought. She thought too soon as the clone was destroyed by a magic bolt. '_Damnit_!' Before her last clone could get it, Faust sent a particularly large bolt at their feet and destroyed the platform they were on. The clone pushed Diana to the side and was dispelled by the debris the attack kicked up while Kazumi scooped up Hippolyta and brought her to safety.

"Ayame!" she yelled as she remembered the impossibly annoying but skilled woman who guided a man and a young girl to Themyscira and kept shortening her name to Polly.

"We'll catch up later!" she promised. She saw Diana lasso Faust as he tried to make a break for it with the key but the sorcerer sent magic through the rope and shocked Diana enough to paralyze her momentarily. He loosened himself from the magic lasso.

Kazumi and Hippolyta ran to her side. To stall the women, Faust threw some seeds at them and shouted, "Ambaloi!" The seeds immediately grew into thick tentacle-like vines that moved as if they were possessed. They immediately grabbed the three and lifted them high into the air.

Kazumi struggled vainly and tried to channel her demonic chakra into the vines holding onto her to kill them but it only seemed to strengthen them. '_Great! Demonic plants_...' She turned to Hippolyta. "You Amazons don't happen to have a giant weed whacker, do you?"

"What is a weed whacker?" the queen screamed as she fought against her restraints.

The sorcerer took that time to vanish with the key. The kunoichi growled low in her throat as the vines started to encase her. She was too close to use fire jutsu without hurting the Amazons and the vines grew back too quickly for her wind jutsu to be very effective. "Are you two all right with being a bit cold for a while," Kazumi yelled as she slashed through yet another vine.

"So long as nothing damages the temple more!" Diana agreed with her mother.

Kazumi nodded and make a cut in one of the vines. It was big enough to stuff her hand inside the plant, which she promptly did. Icy mist started coming out of the cut instantly and the vine quickly began to freeze. Ice appeared on the surface of the vine and started spreading and soon it was frozen solid. She spread her chakra all the way to the roots and through the ground. She sent it up through the roots of the other vines and all the way to the tips of the demonic vines until they were completely frozen.

The three women broke free of the frozen vines and landed gracefully on the ground. "Sorry, Diana. But as much as I want to keep the others out of it, we can't handle Faust on our own without doing more damage to Themyscira and Athena still hasn't convinced Zeus to help us yet." She took out a scroll and laid it flat on the floor. There was a seal drawn on it.

"What do you mean?" Diana knew many of the wondrous things Kazumi could do with fūinjutsu but she was still unsure of the limitations the art had, if it had any.

Kazumi bit her thumb and spread the blood on the seal. "I'm getting the guys." She added chakra to the blood and the seal. Before Diana could protest, four members of the League appeared in a puff of smoke.

"Things didn't turn out as well as you hoped?" a green man asked as he took of the paper talismans that helped bring them here. The others did the same.

"Afraid not. Faust has the key and escaped, the other Amazons are still petrified and the only good news I have are that I have the amulet that petrified the Amazons and I know the incantation to bring them back. On the other hand, I have no idea if I can use it since I don't have magic and using it with my chakra might make it blow up."

"You've brought men here!"

"Hippolyta!" Kazumi barked. "We have more important matters to deal with than men being on a women only island. One of which is the release of the worst father in the history of forever who loves snacking on people weaker than him. I'll accept whatever punishment you give after Faust is beaten."

Hippolyta glared. "Come this way." She knew the traditions of her people were important but Ayame... no, her daughter called her Kazumi... was right when she said that it could be dealt with later. She hurried to the back of the temple and led them down the secret staircase.

They blazed down the stairs and through the necropolis. Superman held onto Batman while Hippolyta rode on Kazumi's back as she sped beside Flash. They could already see the gates being unlocked. The necropolis shook as if an earthquake was occurring. "Any ideas how to beat this Kronos guy?"

"A few," Kazumi responded. "Half might not end well for a lot of us and most of the others have as much of a chance of working as Batman does in becoming Mr. Congeniality. One has the best chances of success but I'm really hoping that we won't have to use it."

Hippolyta tensed as she saw the gates open. "We must stop the Titan Lord at all costs! His reign will be a blight to the world the likes of which mortals have not seen in eons!"

"Then we better get ready for a fight then," A smug voice answered. They were not too far from the gates when the heroes and the queen heard the voice. They stopped and saw two figures appear from the shadows of a collapsed building. The first wore bronze Greek armor and a sword with a skull biting on a ruby at the end decorating the hilt. He had an oiled crew cut and scars on his face but that only seemed to enhance his rugged good looks. He had thus air of brutality and anger about him that made Batman, Flash, Superman and J'onn want to fight him if it were not for the presence of the other man.

Said man was taller and much paler. He was in black armor that seemed to have souls of the damned embedded into the metal and a blood-red cape and armed with a two-pronged staff in one hand and a black sword in the other. A black helmet lined with bronze covered his head yet you could see his darker than night eyes from beneath it. His presence was quieter but much more imposing; it was as if you were in the presence of an emperor and it would be an honor to sleep by his feet forever. He nodded to Hippolyta, who bowed in response.

"Tone it down, you two," Kazumi said. "There are two mortals and two aliens here and they're not used to the presence you project."

At once, the urges were muted considerably though the aura of violence and anger was now stronger than the other. "Hades, Ares, good to see you two again." It could be his imagination but Flash swore that Megami bared her teeth when she said Ares' name. Ares grinned at the display of challenge.

Hades turned to his nephew and narrowed his eyes in warning. The war god backed down but it was obvious that he didn't want to. "Shall we save the pleasantries for later, Kazumi? I believe we have more pressing matters to attend to."

"As long as we get a damn good fight out of this, I can wait until later to get with the ninja." That made Kazumi snarl at Ares but she otherwise ignored him.

"Okay, new plan. Kronos might still be weak from his time in Tartarus so if we all fight together and don't hold back, we might be able to push him back in and reseal the gates. Superman, as much as I know how you don't want to kill Faust, it may be the only way we can stop Kronos right now. If you have a clear shot, take him out. J'onn, Flash, I want you two to focus on defending us from any magic Faust and Kronos might use while the rest of us go on the offensive. On the first chance that we might lose, I want you four," she looked at her male teammates, "to get out of here with my clones and save as many Amazons as you can while Hades, Ares and I try to stall him. Contact any and every magic practitioner you know and find some way to delay the bastard or send him back to hell." They continued the run to the gates after that.

When they got there, Faust was knelt before a translucent figure. It was difficult to tell what he looked like because all the details were too blurry but he was tall and, even as a spirit, powerful. Megami grabbed Ares by the back of his armor and dragged him behind a fallen pillar. "Even you can't kill someone who doesn't have a body," she reasoned.

"Father, Kazumi, please. We must not fight amongst ourselves when we have a powerful foe." The two glared at each other until the war deity settled down. Hippolyta hoped that Kazumi and her father would save their grudge for another time.

"My Lord Kronos, your servant welcomes you to the land of the living," Faust groveled.

Kronos looked around. "It seems not much of the living is here, servant. I had hoped that there would be an army ready for me to command to bring down my treacherous children."

Faust gulped in fear at the thought of not being able to please the Titan. "An army will be easy to acquire once we go to the surface, my lord. But first, I have upheld my end of the bargain. I delivered your freedom and the demise of the Amazons who protect the gates. I would like to receive my reward for my services."

It simply made the Titan lord chuckle. It was the sort that rumbled throughout the cavern and froze you to the very core. There was no humor in that laugh, only anticipation for what was to come. "Not quite, servant. Though I have reformed enough to send my spirit outside of Tartarus, I am still bound to my prison until the day ends... However, a bargain is a bargain. Ultimate knowledge." His see-through hand was encased with a dark orange fire. He pressed a finger against Faust's forehead. "Ultimately, all man will ever know is to be the slaves of their master."

Smoke in a poisonous-looking shade of blue started coming from Faust's nose and mouth as his eyes rolled to the back of his head. Kronos started to fade out of existence as Faust screamed in pain. The ex-professor arched backward until his back was almost parallel to the ground. Even as the blue smoke disappeared, he stayed like that.

"Stay alert," Hades said as he handed Hippolyta a sword and shield from a long dead warrior. "Kronos might be much weaker than he used to be but he was the Titan King for a reason."

Seconds turned to minutes as they waited for any sign of the Titan or movement from his servant. Faust straightened suddenly and started flexing his body as if he was getting use to the fit of it. His ice blue eyes were now completely gold. "Hmm... Not as strong or powerful as I would like but it will do... Don't you think so, my son and grandson?"

The two gods stepped out from behind the pillar. Both were glaring at the Titan inhabiting the body of his servant. Kronos merely chuckled again. "Where are your manners? Aren't you going to introduce me to my descendants and their little friends?"

Kazumi leapt from her hiding place and kicked Kronos in the chest. It was strong enough to send the partially imprisoned Titan crashing into a wall with a grunt. Kronos stepped out uninjured despite the perfect indention Faust's body made in the stone. "You dare to challenge your superior?!"

"Old habits die hard," she simply said. Kazumi whipped out a katana and charged at him.

Hades raised a skeleton army consisting of soldiers from different eras while Ares made armed them with swords, spears, guns and other weapons before joining Kazumi's charge. The Titan was forced to release a powerful force that pushed them back as he had no weapons of his own. The skeleton army equipped with long-range weapons shot at him to cover the two fighters and Hades jumped high into the air and sent a wave of hellfire at his father. Superman and Diana threw huge chunks of marble at him while Batman followed with several exploding batarangs. Meanwhile, Flash and J'onn got Kazumi and the war god out of the crossfire.

"Please tell me that was enough to get him." He had his arms wrapped around Kazumi as he dashed away from the Titan.

Ares snorted as he and J'onn flew overhead. "You wish, Punk. Titans are even stronger than the gods; that attack would barely tickle the asshole."

Flash put Kazumi back on her feet and left to fight Kronos. This suited the kunoichi just fine as she made her power limiters visible. She released the two on her upper arms and the one just above her heart. The rush of energy made her take a deep breath as she tried to contain it. Once she had the sudden increase of power under control, Kazumi shifted into her hybrid form. Like she described months ago, she was taller and more vulpine. White fox ears grew on the top of her head and four long while tails sprouted from her back. Her nails grew to inch-long claws and her eyes took a more fox-like appearance.

Ares smirked. "Now this is really turning into a party." Kazumi glared at the god and joined the fight. She made ten shadow clones. These clones ran to their enemy and performed A and S-ranked jutsu that were all aimed to injure Kronos.

As Ares said, Kronos was still standing and not even Faust's robes were too badly damaged. Superman and Diana flew close and started punching him. Despite his awesome power, Kronos was inhabiting the body of a mortal man and he was thrown back by the force of the punches. Hippolyta ran behind him and made to slash the Titan's exposed back only for her wrist to be grabbed and thrown against her daughter. Kronos backhanded Superman, making him crash into one of the few standing pillars. The clones reached the Titan lord and tried to kill him. Most were frozen thanks to Kronos' mastery over time and quickly dispelled while the others were batted away like flies.

Kronos used the sorcerer's magic to send large magic bolts at the fallen royals only for his attacks to be blocked by a wave of earth caused by Hades. Kronos growled in frustration when Flash ran around him, throwing punishing punches that would have crippled a lesser being. The Titan summoned waves of fire to destroy the speedster and take care of some of skeleton soldiers. Flash ran for his life as the dead burned into ash. The Martian slammed the top of Kronos' head and sent him into the ground only to be blasted away by a powerful stream of fire. As Kronos climbed out of the hole, his golden eyes shone with intense hatred.

Kronos grabbed swords from one of the fallen soldiers and blocked Ares' and Hippolyta's strikes. He parried swing after swing from his grandson and great-granddaughter until it became obvious that while the Titan lord was more experienced, the body he took was weak, far too weak for him to defeat the god of war and the Queen of the Amazons with skill alone.

He slowed time down and those in front of him instantly began moving at a snail's pace. Kazumi, having switched places with a clone behind the Titan, saw her chance and performed a jutsu that she had made some centuries ago. It was another version of the Rasengan but it was much deadlier than the original. She poured in Earth natured chakra to keep it from breaking apart, Wind to make it cut through any obstacles, Lightning would allow it to travel long distances at high speeds, Fire allowed it to make the power behind it stronger and, finally, Water would keep the damage confined to a limited area. The resulting attack would be equivalent to blowing up two hundred gallons of napalm. This particular Rasengan was named Godai Seishitsu Henka (Five Elements Nature Transformation (4)) Rasengan.

She flung it at Kronos. The Titan screamed in pain. It was a terrible sound and made one feel as if a thousand knives were being plunged into one's body at the same time. Kronos lost concentration and the gods and heroes quickly back away from him. Everyone averted their eyes as the Godai Seishitsu Henka Rasengan wrapped around Faust's body and exploded in a light so bright it would have permanently blinded even a god if they looked at it directly. Once the light died down, they turned. Faust was dead if complete lack of an upper torso was an indication. However, Kronos was still there. He was nothing more than a spirit again and temporarily immobilized from being forcefully separated from his host.

"Destroy the key!" Hippolyta yelled. "Before he recovers and possesses one of us!"

Kazumi turned and saw the lock with the key still in place. "Sabaku Kyū!" Sand erupted from the ground and wrapped around both. "Sabaku Sōsō!" The sand imploded and completely turned both stone relics into dust. With the key destroyed, the magic within it swirled in the air before returning to the place where it originated, Tartarus. The gates began to suck everything not secured in as a safety measure. It was designed to do so if the key were ever destroyed as a last resort should it be used by evil. Kazumi stuck to the ground with chakra and Hades immediately dismissed the skeleton army and held on to Diana and Hippolyta. Superman and J'onn flew as hard as they could away from the gates only to stay in place while Flash had to dodge broken marble chunks the size of cars. Ares held onto the ground and Batman used his grappling hook to avoid being sucked in.

Kronos, however, had no way to grab hold of anything and all of his enemies too far away to possess. He was sucked in almost immediately despite his efforts to avoid being sent back to his prison. The suction was strong and seemingly endless as the gates slowly closed.

Finally, the winds died. "I just want to say that it was incredibly idiotic have a key made to open a door that should be opened in the first place." Kazumi sank to the floor as she reactivated her power limiters and returned to her human form.

"Blame Zeus," Hades replied. "Poseidon and I were against having the doors made to begin with."

* * *

Kazumi rested on the white sand beaches of Themyscira. The battle was over, the Amazons were saved and Kronos is back in Tartarus with no way to leave unless the gods or their demigod children work together to release him. In other words, life was good.

She might no longer be allowed on Themyscira because she brought men here but at least Diana, as an unwitting accomplice, got off lightly. She would be able to return one day if she could prove to the queen that Man's World was worthy for the Amazons to interact with. Right now, Hippolyta and Diana were discussing the terms of her mission. She and the rest of the League were allowed to roam free until they were to leave.

"Meg."

She opened her eyes and smiled at Flash. "Hi, Flash. It's been one insane date, hasn't it?"

He grinned. "Definitely my most memorable first date." His smile faltered as he thought about what Ares said in the necropolis. He sat beside his date. "Kazumi... About what Ares said..." He stopped, not knowing how to continue.

"We were never together. Ares and I met at a tavern centuries ago and he started a fight. I joined in and stopped him from almost killing someone, which surprised him since most normal women aren't supposed to be strong enough to catch a regular man's fist mid-punch, never mind a war god's. He's been something of a stalker ever since and the only reason he doesn't hang around often is because I'm friends with Aphrodite and she promised to make him fall in love with a warthog if he becomes too much of a problem for me."

Flash sighed in relief. He had already accepted that Kazumi could already have had dozens of lovers over the years but it would be hard to swallow if one of her old boyfriends were still alive and young.

Kazumi smiled. "I'm not going to lie, Flash. There were times when I did have relations with immortals... especially when I first came to this world. However, I soon learned that what mattered the most was not the amount of time you spent with someone but the special memories you shared together. In every relationship I had with an immortal, things went downhill fairly quickly and stayed that way."

"They weren't your type?"

"That and most turned out to be cheaters, psychopaths or manipulative bastards who wanted to use me to take over worlds." She kissed him on the cheek without warning. "I like my boyfriends to be... well, just like you." Kazumi spotted Diana on her way to them with the others in tow. "Looks like it's time to go. Thank you for the wonderful time, Flash."

Flash just had a wide grin on his face to show that all was right in his world.

* * *

(1) I figured Kazumi would call him something like that since his eyebrows look like they're attached to his eyes

(2) Calendar used in Ancient Attica. Hekatombaion is roughly equivalent to late July to early August, which coincidentally fits the Justice League timeline

(3) Kazumi put a Hiraishin seal on the sheet.

(4) I couldn't think of a better name.


	12. Omake 2

AN: Short, I know. But I am working on the next chapter so please bear with me.

Omake 2: Shopping with an Amazon

"So... we are going to the temple where people worship their... credit cards?" Diana asked, completely unsure of what they were going to do there or what a credit card was. They were walking to one of the temples to do the 'shopping' Megami had mentioned last night.

"Yeah. We call those 'temples' shopping malls or simply malls. As you've seen, majority of Man's World isn't like Themyscira where you live off the land. However, their needs are still the same and that's why there are malls. In a mall, you can get things like food, clothing and other things one needs to live. You can also buy things that would keep you entertained when you have nothing to do like toys, books and electronics. In exchange, you pay for what you need with money." Megami, who was dressed casually, wondered where Diana picked up the idea of credit cards but deemed that it shouldn't be too important.

Diana nodded in understanding. "But I do not need much. The Watchtower is always stocked with food and the clothes I brought from Themyscira are enough to last me a while."

"Normally, I would agree with you. However, your clothes make you stand out and I'm not talking about your armor." She then began muttering about perverts and bastards who had more balls than brains. The Amazon allowed her to do as she pleased. While she wondered what was wrong with wearing her usual clothes, the last time she asked her friend why her regular clothes made men's gazes linger on her for too long made her rant in what she later learned was Korean.

After venting, Megami calmed herself. "We're just getting you some essentials: underwear, a few jeans and blouses, maybe a dress or two and some shoes. That should be eno- What happened to Metro Mall? Everything was fine when I came here two days ago..."

Diana looked around and noticed with dread that this was the same... mall that she and Superman had nearly destroyed the night before. Megami slowly turned to the princess. "Diana... When you said that you and Superman went to a temple to retrieve part of the key, did you mean this kind of temple?"

"Yes, Superman and I were under a spell that made us believe that the other was a monster. Things got... slightly out of hand..." She felt like a child caught out of bed again. It was times like this when the kunoichi reminded her of her mother.

* * *

Clark was rubbing his head as he entered the Daily Planet. The midnight and pre-dawn battles had taken their toll on him and being hit on the head numerous times throughout said battles was starting to affect his memory. He knew that there was supposed to be something he needed to tell Megami but he couldn't, for the life of him, remember what it was.

"Hey, Smallville," Lois called. "You have a visitor waiting at your desk. Make it quick; Perry wants you to do a story on some mall."

He thanked Lois and made his way to his desk. His visitor had long black hair and a slim figure. Seeing as how he couldn't see her face, Clark quickened his pace and hoped it wouldn't take very long.

"Hello, Clark," his guest greeted.

She turned her head. Clark almost gasped. An older version of Megami's secret identity was sitting on his chair and looked very cross. No one was close enough to overhear them and that only made the Kryptonian nervous. "I met up with our friend, Diana, a while ago and she told me about the late night visit to the _temple_ you two had. Was it really necessary for you to make such a mess at the _temple where people worship their credit cards_?"

Clark Kent merely gulped.

"I think our favorite Boy Scout and Amazon need to explain themselves to the Metropolis PD, don't you think?"

'_It's going to be a long day_,' he thought.


	13. Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Lectures and a Project

"Oohhh~ There's the Shuriken! And that's the Knotted Snake!" She leapt to the other side of the asteroid as quickly as she could in zero gravity and squealed loudly. "It's the Uzumaki! Guys! Guys! It's the Uzumaki!"

Superman tiredly smiled as he stuck a probe into the ground. It was times like this that he was amazed that the same powerful heroine who was Megami was the young woman before him who was eagerly pointing out constellations that used to exist in her world and shrieking like a sugar-crazed child... Then again she did have a lot of coffee so maybe there was a reason she was a bit hyperactive.

"Whose idea was it to appease Kazumi?" J'onn asked telepathically. While he could have easily asked Superman through the communicators, it would not do to have Kazumi overhear them. She had gotten angry with both Diana and Superman when she found out about Metro Mall and threatened to drag them by their ears to the Metropolis Police Station if they didn't go themselves. The fact that she stood watched like an angry mother while in the station and as they helped rebuild the mall just made the experience more embarrassing.

"Diana's. We decided that she would take her out for coffee so she could see more of the world while I bring her with me the next time we go deeper in space to see if we can find her world's constellations... I think I should have told Diana to buy her ramen instead of coffee though."

"Indeed, Diana mentioned that she was amazed that Kazumi could drink an entire café out of its monthly stock with only a mild case of restlessness and delirium. I simply wish that it wasn't just before we left." J'onn smiled as he saw Megami giggle insanely as she tossed some loose rocks up only for them to float away. He shook his head and read the probe's analysis of the asteroid's composition. "32 percent iron oxide, 21 percent carbon, 19 percent silicon..."

"Are you getting this, Hawkgirl?" Superman asked through his communicator.

Back at the Watchtower, the Thanagarian answered, "As if you were in the next room. Unfortunately, it also means I can hear Kazumi squealing and giggling like one of those −what did she call them? Fan girls?− whenever she sees a constellation. Do you have any idea how disturbing it is to hear someone who can take care of an entire army by herself shriek like that?"

"Sorry, Hawkgirl. But it's comforting to see something from the Hidden Continents after nearly eight hundred years. I mean, this world has ninjas too but it wasn't the same and they wouldn't hold a candle to a true shinobi. I should know; clan leaders begged me to retrain their entire clans back in the Feudal Era. That, and I might also have had a few too many cups of coffee... Too much of a good thing... Then again, coffee is awesome!"

"At least it wasn't alcohol..." Hawkgirl muttered. She doubted the League was ready to deal with a drunk kunoichi. "In any case, I'm sending your data through back-up analysis as we speak. Leave the probe in until you destroy the meteor so I can get data on how it will react to the explosives other than the obvious." Hawkgirl studied the asteroid. "Three and a half miles across... Can you imagine what would happen if it hit the Earth?"

Superman came back from their ship with two large devices. He had one float to Kazumi and J'onn and replied, "That's not going to happen."

Kazumi pouted. "I still say we should bring back pieces of this thing. Not only would they be awesome souvenirs, but people on Earth can also use it in the industrial sector and I know some places that would love having a space rock. Like my place~" She shoved the other bomb into the other side of the meteor while the Martian activated it.

"Perhaps bringing a few pieces would be a good idea. But traveling to the vicinity of Saturn has cost us a large amount of fuel and we might not have enough to get back to the Watchtower if we are to take any along with us. You did not bring any storage scrolls with you and you can't draw seals on your spacesuit in zero gravity so you would not be able to bring any back."

"Fine," the kunoichi said petulantly as she mock glared at J'onn. "At least things end with a bang."

"I thought ninjas were supposed to be stealthy..." Hawkgirl commented.

Kazumi merely grinned. "We generally are but sometimes, when we attack... well, controlling the elements around you to bend to your will or summoning a giant toad about the size of the Daily Planet isn't exactly subtle now is it? Besides, I like a good explosion; they make pretty lights~"

If Kazumi had been on solid ground, Superman was pretty sure she would be bouncing around as she waited. Instead, she amused herself by floating around like a deranged pixie while humming to herself. J'onn shook his head as he watched Kazumi dart this way and that. She had a big appetite because using her jutsu burns calories quickly but she, apparently, did not posses a hyper-accelerated metabolism like her boyfriend did to get rid of the caffeine in her system. How unfortunate for them.

The team of three flew away from the meteor. Because of the lack of air to carry the sound waves, they couldn't hear the loud, low twangs the bombs were making as they got ready to detonate. "At least someone's ready for the fireworks," Superman said with a smile. "How about you, J'onn?"

"Ready."

"By the way, J'onn, what's the other 28 percent of the space rock's composition?" The Martian gave Kazumi his undivided attention as she sounded normal. "We have to be careful in case it's explodium."

Nope, she was still slightly out of it. He really needed to speak with the League about limiting her substance intake. "I was unable to read the complete analysis before we started placing the explosives but it is probably of no importance, Kazumi," J'onn replied. "I am quite certain, however, that it is not... explodium."

Kazumi was nodding to a song in her head while she waited for the asteroid to explode. She certainly didn't hear the alarms the probe was making on the asteroid and she almost missed it when she heard the alarms onboard the Watchtower. Almost instantly, the effects of caffeine overdose made way for awareness thanks to a surge of chakra that purged the compound from her body. "Hawkgirl! What's going on?"

"The asteroid has hydrogen pockets! A lot of them! Get away fro-" Unfortunately, Hawkgirl's warning came too late as the bombs went off. The primary explosion was big; it had to be to split the asteroid into multiple pieces small enough to burn up as they entered the atmosphere of a planet without the help of oxygen. However, Kazumi had not taken into account that the giant asteroid that needed to be turned into space dust would be full of a highly combustible gas when she loaded the Javelin. Thus, the resulting secondary explosion was strong enough to equal Deidara's C3 jutsu.

With only seconds, Kazumi just had time to erect a crude barrier in front of them. While her barrier protected them from being directly hit by the fire and the oncoming space rocks, they could still feel the heat through their suits and the force of the explosion threw them into the Javelin. As her head crashed through the hull of the ship, her barrier fended off the rocks sailing at them until a large piece of the asteroid completely shattered it. Kazumi kept her consciousness long enough to swat the asteroid away from her and her friends before a smaller rock sank into her chest. Another sailed into her stomach.

The last thing she saw were the prone bodies of her friends.

* * *

An alien craft approached the area. It had detected the energy signal of the explosion and the captain of the crew decided to investigate. The crew was on a mission to gather strong fighters for Lord Mongul. It was a difficult mission as the crew was often injured when subduing and transporting strong beings but failure in their mission would make Lord Mongul... less than pleased.

"Life functions still active." They had chanced upon three beings that somehow survived the intense blast. They seemed lifeless as they floated in space but the data they were receiving confirmed signs of life.

"Incredible," the captain exclaimed. "Bring them aboard."

The bright blue beam encased the three beings and started to pull them to the ship. The action was enough to cause the shortest of the three to stir and grasp the wrists of her companions. She held them close as if afraid they would be taken away from her. Still, she was too dazed to resist when the mechanical arms forced them apart. Afterwards, she limped almost lifelessly against the metal. Tests were done on her and she had no doubt that the same was being done on her friends.

"The most injured had been the female but her injures are healing at an astounding rate. It would appear that she is the fastest healer. She seems to be an Earthling but her energy readings are much higher than average," a scientist said. "She also possesses a secondary circulatory system but I can not determine what it is for."

"Lord Mongul would find her interesting at the very least. What about the other two?" the captain asked.

"They're stable but it seems that the Martian is not as resilient as his companions. He will recover but not soon enough for Lord Mongul's taste. The other is a Kryptonian, a strong one according to the tests." He turned his attention to the screen. "The woman and the Kryptonian are stirring." He and the captain immediately abandoned the bridge to observe.

Kazumi was awake; she had been ever since they were taken onboard. She waited until after they took off her spacesuit and did what they could about the few injuries that were serious enough not to be healed in the time she had been unconscious. Now, she was handcuffed to the wall with her friends and about ten other groaning aliens scattered throughout the cell.

'_I don't sense any guards and the other aliens look too worn out to be a plant_.' She breathed in deeply and channeled chakra through the walls and connected with her friends. It was incredibly difficult as the metal seemed to be pushing against her chakra. It was like it was a naturally mild chakra disruptor, similar to Nagato's Chakra Disruption Blades but at a much lower degree. '_Most likely because they aren't stabbed into me, I guess. Anyway, Supes should be coming to in a minute or so and he doesn't seem too hurt. J'onn is worse off... moderate concussion, severely bruised... everything, slowly recovering from almost being cooked, trauma to upper back and there's something in the air that isn't doing him any favors... alien allergies maybe_?"

She bit the inside of her cheek. The alien metal was interfering with her chakra but what information she did get from her brief scan was worrying. She couldn't even send any healing chakra towards the Martian since it was hard enough to send a diagnostic jutsu his way. Who knew what kind of reaction the metal would have on her chakra if she did so?

There wasn't much she could do now except 'wake up.' She squeezed her eyes together as if she was waking up with a headache and groaned. She looked around as if confused about where she was. Honestly, with all the times she had to pretend to be unconscious or dead over the years, it was child's play for her. Somewhere above them, she could hear two sets of footsteps. '_Our cell has a barred up skylight so whoever caught us can observe us from a bird's-eye view. There's not a lot a prisoner can hide that way. Most likely, there are cameras here and I wouldn't be surprised if the shackles work like shock collars_.'

Inwardly, Kazumi smirked. '_Time to play psychological warfare_.'

She turned to where Superman was being held and saw him waking up. She moaned loudly. "Are we captured? If so, whoever has us did a horrible job in securing prisoners."

Superman looked at her like she grew another head. "Don't look at me like that. It's simply common sense not to lock more than a handful of captives in the same cell, especially when you don't know what they're capable of. Any single one of us could escape from these shackles and do the same to the rest. If we had been separated into smaller groups, it would give our captors time to either recapture whoever got loose or dispose of the troublemaker. Not to mention, this place, while very dim, is spotless. That means they either want or need us for something so they aren't going to kill or let us die in the near future. If there had been some old bloodstains for example, it would help to reinforce the illusion that they would use deadly force or that we are expendable and thus, shouldn't antagonize the crew. It doesn't even have to be real blood as long as it looks like it! That would be more than enough to create the illusion of being ruthless and intolerant! A dark but clean cell is the completely wrong message to send if you're looking to keep people docile. Then there's the fact that none of us look too badly beaten up. While this just proves that they need us in fairly good condition for one reason or another, it hardly helps in breaking a person's determination to escape! It also means that we could escape if the prisoners work together! Really, these people know nothing about security!"

"Megami, what are you doing?!" Superman hissed. The kunoichi did some outrageous things but this was extreme. Lecturing their captors about faulty security measures while she was still trapped? It was insane!

"I'm giving a lecture on proper intimidation tactics and containment measures," she easily answered. Kazumi looked up at the skylight. "Well, why aren't you people writing this down?! Honestly, one would think that the one who designed a prisoner ship was a child playing with sticks! I mean, what kind of idiot designs a prison cell for physically powerful beings but doesn't even bother to install shackles for the legs for most of us or even collars? True, collars are more of a symbol of being enslaved but one could use something akin to shock collars to ensure obedience. Even the shackles we already have are almost next to useless since they allow an almost full range of motion, thus completely defeating the purpose of restraining prisoners. Also, all I see of our captors are the captain, who is most likely only here to observe for a few minutes, and a scientist. Where are the guards?! It's as if they overestimate the strength of their stupid prison cell or underestimate the will of someone who wants to escape!" Her speech, by now, was raising the spirits of the other captives. Some were getting to their feet or studying the shackles to look for weak points.

Even in the dark, Superman could see Kazumi was rather proud of herself. Before she started talking, every single person in the cell had given up but now, they all looked like they wanted to fight back.

Suddenly, Kazumi shrieked. A blue glow surrounded her and a sizzle of what sounded like electricity was heard throughout the cell. The glow and sound didn't disappear for almost two minutes and left the kunoichi smoking. The captain smirked as if pleased with the outcome until...

"Oh, this better not ruin my hair! Do you people have any idea how hard it is to have silver hair while looking so young and being able to rock it? It's bad enough little kids sometimes think I'm an old lady! I don't want people to see my hair as a giant white fuzzy towel or something!" She went on and on like that. The more she was shocked, the more violent and creative her threats and insults became. While the prisoners weren't able to escape their restraints, Kazumi's rant about her hair, the lacking intelligence of their captors and her endless slew of insults and threats were more than enough to keep them from spiraling into depression again.

The captain was back on the bridge, completely puzzled about their only female prisoner... if she could be called that. He had a feeling that if it weren't for the fact that one of her companions was unconscious and very weak, she would have ripped the shackles from the walls and escaped with the Martian and the Kryptonian. In fact, she didn't even bother to try to escape though her plans to 'rip the ship apart and find the little worm messing up her hair' were disturbing. Said operator was now curled under his workstation as if trying to hide from the violent woman.

'_Not that I can blame him_,' the captain thought. Some of her promised threats were rather... inventive, cruel, and unusual. Having one's abdomen torn open and then being forced to swallow one's own digestive system, for example sounded... disgusting and painful and that was one of the milder threats.

The captain then noticed that there was an incoming call from War World. Hopefully it was good news as he wasn't sure he could deal with another issue while the one called Megami was calling his kind the disfigured offspring of a snake-faced pedophile and a red-faced baboon.

"Captain," the call started as a large yellow face with completely blood-red eyes appeared before the bridge. Knowing how vocal Megami could be, the captain was certain that she would rant about how Lord Mongul was blocking the view and could cause the entire ship to crash or something. "I want you to hear something," his lord said. Instantly, the sound of boos and disappointed yells resounded throughout the bridge. "They're expressing their disappointment at the last specimen you brought." The captain swallowed nervously. After a short exchange, the captain assured his leader that the two specimens he had with him would be different.

"Two, you say..."

"One is a powerful Kryptonian, guaranteed to give Draaga the fight of his life. Our tests showed that he has been exposed to much yellow sun radiation, most likely a period of years if not decades." Mongul raised a hairless eyebrow in interest. "The other is of an unknown species. She appears to resemble a beautiful Earthling woman but her energy levels, even when unconscious, were at least a hundred times higher. She is also an incredibly fast healer. What used to be broken bones healed within a minute."

Mongul gave the captain a displeased snort. "I have no use for a woman who could heal her injuries at once. I need a fighter, not a whore."

"The Kryptonian seems to defer to her, my lord. We have also been shocking her, increasing the voltage everytime, ever since she first woke and it has only resulted in anger and threats. She was also unafraid of her situation and gave some critical insight on some... issues the crew have been uneasy of for some time."

The ruler of War World was silent. "Send me the recording of this woman. If nothing else, she can entertain me in another way." With that, Mongul ended the transmission.

The entire crew breathed a sigh of relief. "Captain, what if the woman's spirit displeases Lord Mongul?"

"She will please him," he said, "she has to."

* * *

Mongul watched the recording once more. The woman was desirable; he would admit that. Her coloring was odd, making her look fragile and breakable. Yet her spirit showed in her words and actions. The Kryptonian's expression showed that he was used to this behavior from Megami and knew that she would carry out her threats given the opportunity.

Not only that but she was intelligent as well. Perhaps he should make use of her suggestions. Using intimidation and fear not only on scouting expeditions but also on War World itself would keep him in power longer. Despite what his advisers think, he actually did know that, sooner or later, the people would rise up because of their living conditions. The fights can only entertain the people for so long, especially with the specimens that were fighting Draaga lately. Hopefully, the Kryptonian wouldn't be a disappointment like Krodar.

Mongul smirked. "Perhaps we should test her with some of the beasts we have. We should see if this woman is able to back up her threats. If not, then she should at least be able to give us a good show. Wouldn't you think so?" he asked one of his advisors. He ignored the man as he watched the spirited woman once more.

* * *

Draaga walked through the arena's underground prison. Unlike most of the fighters, he was staying somewhat willingly for the safety of his planet so he was allowed to walk freely. He had heard from scouting crew that they had captured two strong individuals and curiosity got the best of him.

He had just finished with the Kryptonian and it was a disappointing meeting. The gladiator was now looking for the woman. The crew was more wary of the woman than any of the other potential fighters they caught. Still, her friend was no warrior so he doubted that she was one as well.

He went to the room where she was supposed to be chained. The woman was supposed to be alone here as even the arena workers had the morals not to leave a woman alone with men who would possibly facing their last days here. When he got there though, there was no one around. The shackles that were supposed to hold her were hanging loosely as if they had never been used and none of the surrounding walls were damaged in an attempt to escape.

"Well, my first visitor~" a voice echoed throughout the room. "I was expecting the so-called supreme ruler of War World to visit me first but I guess having the undefeated champion is just as big an honor~" The tone was condescending and Draaga was sure that there was a smirk on Megami's face.

"Show yourself!" he demanded. "Face me like a true warrior, coward!"

She gaily laughed like he said a joke. "You are no warrior, oh powerful Draaga~ The people on War World call you a champion, a hero, but you and I both know that you are nothing of the sort. You are a pet, Mongul's prized dog to fight for his entertainment and propaganda. The only difference between you and the others outside this room is the fact that you win your fights. The older prisoners say that you claim in almost every battle that you fight for honor when you slaughter the very meaning of the word."

Slender arms were suddenly wrapped around his neck and nimble fingers trailed up his chin. He froze as no one had been able to sneak up on him since he was a child. Her lips were right by his ear and her breath tickled him as she spoke softly. "But you have honor, Draaga. Hidden inside, beaten with every fight you win for the sake of an uncaring tyrant yet hungering for a chance to come out. You don't fight for yourself but for Mongul and yet I can tell right away that you despise your master the most. So tell me, lost one," Megami whispered as she stepped in front of the gladiator. "Whom else do you fight for? How much longer are you going to commit murder in the name of a tyrant who would throw you away as soon as you lose a fight? How long have you been under Mongul's thumb that you have begun to see yourself as his willing pawn when you were born to be a leader? Or have you decided never to dwell on the fact that you're a fallen warrior with no pride or honor? Where is your pride and honor as a warrior?" Draaga didn't answer.

He was scared. It was not because of the way the woman draped herself around him in a way a lover would but could still snap his neck if she so chose to. It was her words. They rang true even if the persona of Mongul's loyal warrior tried to beat the feeling down. He was the son of a general, trained to fight and to lead men from an early age. Yet on his first off-planet mission, his men were defeated and he was captured by scouts from War World. It was because of his recklessness and cockiness that he came to this hell. Afterwards, it was fight after fight to stay alive. When he had become an icon to the people, he was brought before Mongul and his entire world was threatened. Since then, it was more of the same but with the looming threat of his planet's safety in the balance should he try to escape or use his popularity against the corrupt ruler.

Draaga didn't move as she unwrapped her arms from him. The kunoichi exited through the door yet the fallen warrior made no move to stop her. '_At least he's thinking about it_,' she said to herself. Megami met up with Superman.

They found J'onn quickly enough and manage to get him out. Unfortunately the force field around the arena was specially designed to keep fighters who were strong enough to run and fight in. As such, while J'onn, who was still injured despite what healing Kazumi was willing to give while on the run and suffering from whatever was in the atmosphere, was able to pass through, Superman and Megami could not. They ran into the force field as if they had run into a solid steel wall. "Fuck!" The kunoichi held her nose as it healed. While she hadn't flown with Superman like J'onn did, she had still run into the barrier quite fast and the result was a slightly bloody nose.

She saw Superman getting up and about to touch the force field for whatever reason. Instantly, Megami was by his side and slapped his hand away. "J'onn, get going! Superman and I won't be able to get out with that thing up!" More robots exited the arena and fired at them. The Man of Steel blocked the blasts.

"I won't leave without you!" the Martian exclaimed. J'onn willed himself to stand upright. The longer he stayed in his current form, the less energy he expended. However, with the odd substance in the air, it was taking all his focus to stay strong in front of his friends as well as to keep his current form.

"Boy Scout and I have unfinished business here! Do what you can to get the people behind us if we fight!" The kunoichi unsealed several kunai and destroyed some of the robots that were firing at her and Superman.

"We'll be all right!" the Kryptonian assured him. "Go!"

With a heavy heart, J'onn ran as his friends surrendered.

"So what unfinished business do we have here?" he whispered.

The kunoichi smirked. "I'm thinking of calling it Project Spartacus (1)."

* * *

He was watching another recording of Megami again. This time it was of her failed escape attempt with the Kryptonian she called Superman. She had escaped from her shackles the second she was alone in her cell. Megami said that this was slightly better than the holding cell on the ship, but not by much. She didn't even try to leave the room; she simply paced, took out a small metal star from somewhere and tossed it in the air only to catch it again in a bored manner.

Megami heard footsteps and disappeared from the camera in a blur when Draaga walked in. The latter half of the conversation was too soft for the cameras to pick up but whatever she said must have shocked Draaga into not stopping her when she left her cell. The woman had then spent most of the time treating the Martian but was able to blast a sizeable hole in the ceiling with a glowing dagger. Megami easily leapt up while the Kryptonian carried the Martian to safety only to be stopped by the force field.

Still, at least this meant that the Kryptonian had some fight in him. Perhaps having him fight Draaga would quell the people's current dissatisfaction after some preliminary matches. As for Megami, he was still wondering what to do with her. He had never placed a woman in the games before because they were generally much weaker than men but the silver-haired woman was very different. Intelligent, fast, resourceful and skilled... It was possible that she could fight well enough to entertain them.

He rolled his eyes as his chancellor tried to get him to focus more on the problems of the people instead of his fights and that woman. Perhaps he was obsessing over her but she really was unlike every other woman he had encountered.

He tore his gaze away from the image of Megami when one of his guards announced the arrival of the recaptured prisoners. They weren't dragged like a normal recaptured prisoner would be, mostly because the robots were suspiciously missing their arms. The Kryptonian looked mildly exasperated while the woman was extremely smug so at least he knew whom to blame.

He smirked at the fiery spirit that she was constantly showing. "I suppose you've been enjoying yourself." He all but ignored the Kryptonian.

Megami smirked. "We had a meet and greet with the champ, fought a giant mutant crocodile, had a blast with your robots and almost got away. Hell yeah I did."

"Pity this means I have to make an example of the two of you. I did so enjoy your antics. I planned for your friend to fight Draaga much later on and for you to debut as my first female fighter with a few fairly easy opponents but I've changed my mind. Your friend will fight Draaga tomorrow and you will face the lions today." With that, their audience with the ruler of War World was over.

* * *

It was once again time for the daily fight. Rumor had it that there was going to be a fighter that they had never seen before: a woman. It started with the crew of the last scouting expedition who captured her and more talk spread when word of her escape attempt leaked to the masses. Some were sure that she would die within the first few minutes of the fight while others decided to take a risk and bet in the new fighter's favor.

"Today may mark the beginning of a new fighter's career," Mongul declared from his seat. "Today, we shall see if skill, agility and cunning shall seize the day or if might makes right as it always had before." The crowd went wild.

"I give you, Megami, the Lady of War!" From a rising platform, the kunoichi had a cocky smirk as she entered the arena. The arena workers had given up on securing her with handcuffs as she would somehow always remove them as soon as their backs were turned and threw them away. Not only that but despite being free, she still made no move to escape like before so they simply tried to find weapons that they thought would be light enough for her to actually carry.

A robot handed her a short sword and little shield. '_I'm going to enjoy messing with their heads_,' she thought with a devious little smirk. Megami laughed and the entire stadium grew silent. People thought that the idea of facing her death in a few minutes had left her unhinged. "You people have no idea what war is like," she said with a cruel smirk. "What you'll see in a matter of minutes will be nothing compared to a real war."

"Brave words for a woman," Mongul replied. "If you survive, I see a bright future for you here on War World!"

She was then teleported to some barren wasteland. There were ruined buildings and debris everywhere. Every now and then, there was a dark spot that was reminiscent of blood or oil. There was no sound or movement here. "Hmm... Almost looks like a battlefield... Almost..."

She heard movement and instinctively flipped into the air. Megami felt something dash under her and come close to ripping her cape. Whatever tried to pounce on her was big, bipedal, mostly black with a splash of white around the shoulder area and smelled like unwashed socks, rotting meat and blood. A quick glance at her surroundings told her that there were at least six more of the same things approaching her.

She instantly flung the sword at the attacking lion as she reached the peak of her flip. The blade sliced through the creature's body and effectively pinned it to the ground. It howled in hunger and anger but she blocked out the noise as she landed on a spire that would have been the top of a tall building. Kazumi cocked her head to the she studied the beast. It was a black lion that would have been the size of a van if it were on all fours with a large bone sticking out of its shoulder. Its mane was dirty and matted in places with dirt, remains of its previous meals, blood and other unpleasant substances. It had glowing red violet eyes and a foaming snout filled with dagger-length teeth. Its dark gray body looked stitched up in places and it had long claws that were stained with blood on its hands and feet. The other lions were the same except that the bones were protruding from other places. They seemed to be part of their natural appearance though as they didn't hinder the lions or make them bleed.

"Hmm... Interesting..." The one she had pinned to the ground was struggling to wrench itself from the ground, uncaring for the blood it was losing or the fact that it was killing itself as it tried to find and attack her again. The lions were obviously bred to kill but apparently trained not to attack their own kind. She wondered how many people died to train them to attack only the fighters.

'_Better to give it death now then let it slowly kill itself_.' She tossed her shield into the air and sent it towards the pinned lion, effectively decapitating it.

The kunoichi studied the other lions. They ran to the bottom of the spire she was on and tried to claw their way up with little success. She saw one of the cameras and smirked into it. "So how would the people like me to fight: from afar or up close and personal?"

She could hear the people shouting their answers but the words all blurred together. "The people have spoken. Kill them in the bloodiest way you can!" Mongul's order came.

"Did you want a preview of how I plan on killing you, Lord Mongrel?" The cheers turned into stunned silence. Megami ignored it as she raced down the almost vertical decline. She reached one of the lions and kicked it in its nose hard. The force was enough to send it flying through a thick wall and definitely enough to shattered its snout.

Two attacked her from the sides and another pounced from above. She easily dodged the first two and grabbed the third by its neck and tore a chunk of flesh off before flinging it away. Blood flowed down her hand as she stopped another lion's clawed swipe with one hand. She punched it once in the chest, enough to shatter its ribs and liquefy its heart. Megami was pretty sure that a bit of its ribcage was sticking out from its back but she couldn't be sure as she dodged another lion's lunge.

The lions the kunoichi had already injured were recovering. Though the loss of blood had disoriented them, they still got up to fight. Megami coated her arm with Lightning chakra and dashed towards the lions. She bisected one with ease before forcing her arm down the other's throat before jerking it to the side, splattering the ground with blood. As one lion attacked her from behind, she performed an axe kick to its head and broke it as if it were a simple water balloon.

The last two lions seemed to be biding their time, looking for the perfect opportunity to kill her and feast on her corpse. While they seemed smarter than their fallen brethren, Kazumi knew that they were merely beasts of instinct and had as much intellect as a rabid dog. One grew impatient and attacked head-on. Megami slid to the side and performed Katon: Karyū Endan and the fire dragon she made instantly burned it to ashes.

However, she left her back exposed to the last lion. It stabbed her in the back. She slowly looked down and saw that the tips of its claws were poking out of her ruined clothes. The crowds cheered at the fight she put up. "It seems as though while my would-be killer put on an excellent show, the Lady of War is not strong enough for War World!" Mongul announced. While he was shocked at how well she dealt with the lions and her declaration that she planned on killing him, the ruler was impressed. "Such a shame that a powerful fighter met her untimely end like this," Mongul drawled.

That was when the soon-to-be dead woman started laughing again. Even as she bled out, she laughed. That was when Mongul noticed something odd. Her wound was bleeding but what dropped to the ground was not blood but... '_Water_?' Megami suddenly exploded and turned into a puddle of water.

There was a loud, deliberately slow applause somewhere in the fighting area. The cameras flew around trying to find the source only to find another silver-haired woman calmly sitting on the back of one of the dead lions. She was identical to Megami who had somehow burst into water yet she was uninjured and her clothes were blood-free. "I think my Mizu Bunshin did a decent job. Wouldn't you agree, Lord Mung Bean?"

Mongul asked the question that was on everyone's mind. "How?"

She leapt back onto the spire to avoid the remaining lion's attack. One of my msny abilities is to create a clone made of water. It's only ten percent of my current power (2) but I think it did a wonderful job. Another one of my abilities is to switch places with something in the immediate area undetected. In this case, I made my Mizu Bunshin first and then switch places with it before it engaged the other lions." At the silence from the cameras, she said, "I wanted to add a bit of drama to my fight otherwise it would be rather boring."

Almost as one, the crowd cheered. They all were amazed by the woman. She was the most amazing fighter they had ever seen. Not even Draaga had kept them on the edge of their seats like Megami had.

"Mini-Rasenshuriken." Almost lazily, she held up a single finger and a swirling blue ball appeared, surrounded by what looked like the blades of a shuriken. "I think I've drawn the fight on long enough." Megami careless flicked the tiny ball at the lion. It died before it even realized what had happened.

"Looks like I win and live to fight another day~" The cheers of the crowd were deafening.

* * *

She was happily cheered by the other fighters and Megami politely accepted their praise. But there was one individual she was looking for who stood at the other end of the room. Discreetly, Kazumi made a shadow clone who made her way to Superman by walking on the ceiling. "I did what I had to do, Superman."

"Slaughter innocent animals?" He was wary of and upset with his friend. He didn't want to be but there were times that he forgot that Kazumi was the strongest of all of them despite the fact that he was the de facto leader of the group.

Kazumi gave him a sad look. "They were bred and trained to kill whatever was given to them as prey, Superman. You might not have been able to tell because you weren't very close to them but the wild look in their eyes was that of mindless killing machines. They felt no pain or fear even when they were close to dying. I managed to take a peek inside the last one's mind and there was nothing except the thought of food and blood. If I had let them live and Project Spartacus succeeded, they would just kill and eat other beings without anyone to stop them and they would have been put down anyway. Only in that situation, more people would have had to die."

The Kryptonian knew she was right but he didn't have to like it. So he changed the subject. "How are you going to take over then?"

The clone's lips quirked into a smile. "I don't plan on taking over, Clark. I'm merely paving the way for Spartacus."

"Are you going to tell me who Spartacus is?"

She giggled. You've already met him, Boy Scout. But to help move Project Spartacus along, you have to win tomorrow."

* * *

(1) Slave turned gladiator turned military leader

(2) Unless Kazumi deactivates her power limiters (see second to the last chapter), she's always at ten percent. Meaning her Mizu Bunshin is actually only one percent of her total power.


	14. Chapter 11

AN: Swearing and death threats in the middle.

Chapter 11: Taunts and Spartacus

J'onn was worried. His... new friend said that the last fight was Megami's and it had been 'dreadful.' The old woman then went into great detail about how Megami decimated seven of Mongul's prized war lions. According to her, it was a shower of blood and guts that littered the ground when she was done with the lions. All without getting any blood on herself... Not really anyway.

Now, he had to watch as Superman was being punished for refusing to kill the defeated warrior, Draaga. Superman might be the Man of Steel but he had been in an underground cell for two days and the little bit of sun that made it through the heavy blanket of smog was not going to be enough to help him survive under another onslaught. He turned to his friend. "No! The Kryptonian won! Don't you want to see him fight again?" J'onn tried to shout over the jeers of the spectators but only the old woman heard him.

"I gotta admit. He's a real champ." She was just like every other citizen in War World. She used the fights to forget about the hardships in her life. The Kryptonian and Megami were the best fighters she had ever seen, even better than Draaga. The fact that the Kryptonian wasn't bad-looking was also a plus.

"He's more than that. He's a superman."

The old woman then got a big grin on her face. "Rumor has it that he's one to Megami, if you know what I mean."

Unfortunately, he did thanks to his telepathy. He was grateful that his powers were weakened by the planet's atmosphere or else he would also have had the images that surely accompanied with that leer. If he weren't so worried about his friend, he'd be blushing. '_Note to self: never let Flash know about that rumor_.'

Up on his private platform, Mongul was grinning as he watched the Kryptonian writhe in pain. This was his comfort zone, being in control of anything and everything around him. Megami's sudden appearance in his world unbalanced him to the point where he was willing to dispose of a strong fighter just to make everything feel normal again. While he didn't like that Megami had somehow ensnared his interest yet completely disregarded him as her master, it also amused him. Coming from the Kryptonian however, that same defiance was a threat and an irritation.

He was surprised when the Kryptonian survived. However, Mongul knew that there was no way he could take another assault. Superman had dared him to take his best shot. Mongul fully intended to but was stopped by a smooth and warm hand that lightly landed on his base of his neck. "I'd rather see if my little project would succeed," a phantom voice said. Mongul looked behind him and saw nothing but the voice of Megami continued to hiss in his ear. "However, Superman's life means much more to me than your life and this planet's future. If he dies now, you will follow him in a week and it will be the most agonizing thing you've ever imagined... raised to the hundredth power!" His chancellor made no reaction to suggest that Megami was here nor did it seem that he was aware that his master was being threatened. Not even the servant carrying the sunshade gave away any indication that there was another person on the platform. Their eyes were glued to the screen.

Then, the chanting started. First one began shouting somewhere to his left, quickly followed by another then the entire section. "Superman! Superman! Superman!" they chanted. Soon the entire arena was chanting the Kryptonian's name. "Superman! Superman! Superman!" All the while, the hand trailed from the base of his neck to the side. It began to caress him like a lover would but each stroke left a slightly stinging sensation that came as a warning.

"Looks like you're the only one who wants him to die~ I think you have a bit of a problem~ Will you let my friend die, have your people rebel against you for the new champion and my rumored boyfriend and deal with a severely pissed off kunoichi who can kill you in seconds or are you going to let him live?" Megami giggled at him. "Choose carefully, milord~" she mocked.

His chancellor chose that time to step closer to him. "If you execute him now, it might not go over too well. Even with the guards in the arena, the people would be able to overwhelm them with their numbers."

"Fine!" he said angrily. He wasn't sure whom he was angry at. His advisor for being the voice of reason, Megami for threatening him yet again, his people for siding with Superman or said Kryptonian for turning his people against him. "The people have spoken!"

The ruler of War World held his head high as he walked away. As he entered the doorway, he saw a flash of silver and dark blue and heard her again. Her voice was louder this time but no one else was around to hear her. "Long live democracy, milord~" Her laugh echoed through the dim hallway and was lost to the cheering of the populace. He grit his teeth and growled under his breath.

He was taking it back: her defiance was, by far, the biggest threat he'd ever faced in his life.

* * *

Kazumi had been pacing ever since Superman and Draaga were taken away. She knew he could win; it was all a matter of if her gambit would pay off or not. She had felt J'onn's presence when she allowed her chakra to scour the crowds and she had placed a clone on Mongul and Superman as a precaution. J'onn had performed marvelously and managed to convince the people to support their friend. Still, even with everything she had done, the worry and guilt she felt for letting Superman suffer was eating her alive.

When Mongul announced that Superman would live, Kazumi felt as if the weight of the world had slipped from her shoulders. She sagged against the wall as she waited for Superman and Draaga to be teleported back under the arena. The other gladiators gave her a wide berth as the last time someone asked her to calm down, she had not taken the suggestion very well and made him cry like a two-year-old. The kunoichi, of course, promptly apologized and everyone gave her space to worry, pace and panic. They all decided that they would just have to be careful about that trench as they walked around.

She was the first to reach the men when they were returned. The kunoichi quickly performed the anesthetic jutsu on both before working on the scrapes, bruises and burns on Superman. "I'm sorry," she pathetically said as she healed him. Had she been in her hybrid form, her ears would have been plastered against her hair and her tails drooping limply.

"It's not too bad," Superman said.

She weakly glared at her friend. "Who would have thought the Boy Scout could lie..." She moved on to his more serious injuries. A broken rib was carefully mended while a bruised kidney was slowly coaxed into healing. Once the Kryptonian's minor internal bleeding was taken care of, Kazumi began to care for Draaga's injuries.

The other gladiators watched and cheered for Superman as the two interacted. Megami was nice as long as you didn't suggest that she calm down when she was worrying. Last night, she was also busy treating their old injuries and played a prank or two on the arena workers that were known for their ruthlessness. The Kryptonian was all right as well. Anyone who could stand up to Mongul was a hero in their books.

"Hasn't anyone ever stood up to him before?" Superman asked.

One of the gladiators, a big-boned alien with red eyes, replied, "Draaga tried once but then he decided that he liked living. He didn't do in publically either."

The kunoichi snorted. "Please, the yellow bastard is nothing more than an irresponsible, hedonistic coward who hides behind his position and his muscles are just for show. I doubt Mr. High and Mighty has ever been in a real fight before." She made the aliens smile at her audacity.

"After what you two did, you both deserve to live too. Mongul might not fight himself but he can arrange... accidents in the arena. That's why we've arranged an escape."

The other alien continued, "There's this garbage scout, see? It'll take you off-planet and then-"

"Wait! Megami and I can't go," Superman interrupted. It got surprised exclamations from the others. Nearly all of them would kill for a chance to leave but they were smart enough to know that if too many of them were to disappear too often, the ones who stayed behind would get it. "We can't leave with our friend."

"And I have plans for this planet that need my... personal attention. If I can get it right, this arena will be history."

The aliens tried to get the two to reconsider but they were adamant that they remain on War World. Superman walked away to rest. Even if Kazumi healed his injuries, he was still tired. "If we leave, Baldy will know that someone in the arena had a hand in it. His royal asswipe might be a bastard but he's unfortunately not a stupid bastard. He'll punish someone when he finds out we escaped and it's likely he's going to take it out on the rest of you," explained Megami. "Superman and I can take whatever he dishes out."

"I don't know if they're brave or just plain crazy."

"Not sure about Supes but I'm pretty sure I've got a screw or two loose. Now about that garbage scout... Think it can take someone else instead?" She cast a look at Draaga.

"The weak and defeated always go to the Pit so they won't be a problem for the rest of us. But if he lives, Draaga will never rest until he's evened the score with Superman."

The kunoichi smirked. "That's what I'm counting on!"

"Definitely crazy..." Megami laughed out loud at that.

Once they were alone, Superman had to ask a question. "If he's supposed to be the new leader of War World, why are you making him leave?"

"To make him mad. He's not our Spartacus yet. I know guys like Draaga; he'll want revenge on what he sees as an insult to his honor. Losing to a newbie gladiator like you... That's a blow to his ego that he won't let go. Not receiving what he sees as a warrior's death would be an insult he'd carry to his grave. Being thrown out like garbage will just make him angrier and more determined to come back. With his pride on the line, he'll find a way back one way or another. Once I direct that anger towards Mongul instead of you and help him realize that he should be fighting for his honor instead of his ego, then Draaga will be fit to be our Spartacus and I'll make sure that he has a better ending than his namesake."

Clark's brow furrowed. "Did you have to practice being this manipulative or were you born this way?"

"Neither. Long-term plans, schemes and manipulation were never my strong suit when I was in the Hidden Continents. I was only really good at throwing monkeys wrenches into them until after I came here. Don't worry though, Superman; it's part of my updated nindo not to manipulate friends and family even if you'll play a part in whatever I'm planning."

Somehow, that didn't reassure him as much as he hoped it would. It must have shown on his face because the kunoichi grinned. "Honestly, Supes. If I had made it a habit to manipulate people left, right and center, I'd be the undisputed ruler of Earth centuries ago and helped that bastard back in World War Two. Give me a little credit." She playfully punched him in the arm.

Kazumi's expression became serious. "Soon, Mongul is going to have a little chat with us. Make him mad. It should make him reveal whatever trick he has up his sleeve that would make someone as honorable as Draaga stay here and be his plaything. As soon as we have that information, I can make plans on how to continue."

* * *

The city seemed... different: cleaner, more cheerful and more hopeful. Even the sky was a brilliant blue after last night's reports of simultaneous worldwide tornadoes that somehow sucked up all the smog yet left people and property unaffected. The chancellor would have wondered who or what inspired the change if it wasn't for all the logos painted on nearly every surface. The first was a bright red S encased in an equally red pentagon while the second was an odd black swirl with a tiny triangle on the lower left corner that looked like a leaf.

The chancellor sighed as he wanted to be one of the people spray-painting the same symbols on walls but he had a duty to the ruler of War World no matter what his opinion of Mongul was. As such, he reported of the increased support Superman and Megami were getting to Lord Mongul.

"Listen to them!" Mongul angrily paced the front of his windows. Even from his throne room he could hear the chanting of Superman's and Megami's names. "Why do they flock to them?!"

The chancellor answered, "Because the Kryptonian and the woman are so powerful, they do not fear anyone, not even you. The fact that there were reports of Megami sneaking in and out of the arena prison every night to help the people since she arrived two days ago is also a reason. Even with the guards, she managed to either sneak past or dismantle them without anyone knowing. I believe the people see them as icons because of that." After he spoke his mind, he hung his head low as if he was expecting to be hit. He wasn't but that did very little to calm his mind.

Mongul ordered Superman and Megami to be brought before him. It was promptly obeyed. Again, when the prisoners were 'escorted' to the throne room, the robots were missing their arms. Megami, however, was using one of the unattached arms as a backscratcher.

"What?" she asked when she saw the chancellor staring. "My back was itchy. There aren't any showers under the arena so I can't exactly wash up." Superman and the advisor merely sighed as she tossed it away.

"People want fights! Good ones! That's what I give them!" Mongul said as if Megami had not said a word.

Megami rolled her eyes. "You're just giving them a cheap substitute for what they really need," Superman said. "Like food, housing and medicine."

"Not to mention education, business opportunities, power for their daily needs, a decent police force that doesn't go after people who are speaking their mind about your crappy reign and so on."

Mongul slapped her. "No one talks to me that way."

While the tyrant slapped her hard, she barely moved her head. "Get used to it, Baldy. Just because you're the head honcho of this place doesn't mean I'm going to be groveling at your feet. Either earn my respect by being a decent ruler or get used to me insulting you to your ugly mug." She was slapped again. "And you hit like a four-year-old!"

"Besides, it wasn't your name they were chanting out there. It's ours."

The tyrant smirked. '_This is it_,' Megami said to herself.

"Someone else once said that to me. The mob loved him and he wanted to change things too. But I convinced him the old ways were best."

Megami snorted. "Did you bore him to death with your monologues?"

"It was Draaga," he deadpanned. "This is how I convinced him, my dear." He turned to his advisor. "Show them!" On the window, a holographic image of a building that looked like an observatory was shown. If the observatory had a machine that looked more like a laser instead of a telescope, that is. "Its power can decimate a planet and that's exactly what I would have done to Draaga's if he hadn't cooperated. I can do the same to your world."

Superman felt a pang of sadness. "You're too late. Krypton's already gone."

"Ditto. It's been almost eight hundred years since I've lost mine so you're out of luck, Bigmouth."

That information didn't wipe the smirk off his face. Megami didn't expect it to. "No matter, any planet will do. Even Draaga's."

Superman looked like he was about to protest when Megami lightly elbowed him in the stomach. "All right, Mongul. You've made your point. I'm guessing you want to rig a fight. Here's the problem though. They've seen what Superman and I can do. It doesn't matter what excuse we make or what advantage you give yourself; there's no chance you can 'beat' the both of us and make it believable."

Mongul knew that was true. The Kryptonian, he could fight without much trouble. Even if, and that's a big if, he were weaker than him, a good show would be enough to convince the masses that he was the stronger of the two. But Megami was another matter. Her cunning alone was enough to make her a dangerous opponent while the small show of physical strength was very impressive. Then there was little hope that he could match her elemental powers. Add in the fact that those amazing feats were done by her clone, which was much weaker than the original, and no one would believe that he defeated her fairly. But he had to do something to have the people lose faith in them as fighters.

Then, he had an idea. One that would soothe his bruised ego and return things to the way they were before. "The Kryptonian will fight against me today. And lose. Badly. You, on the other hand, will marry me and bear my children."

"WHAT THE HELL?!"

"I said-"

"I HEARD WHAT YOU FUCKING SAID, ASSHOLE!" Was it just Superman's imagination or were the windows shaking in their frames? "What kind of shit are you used to eating that your goddamn brain turned into maggot-infested sludge?!" She performed a powerful roundhouse kick that sent Mongul sailing to his throne. "_SON OF A BITCH! I should make you choke on your own dick for that_!"

Mongul gasped for air as Megami ranted. He turned to Superman. "What is she saying?"

"I don't understand Arabic and I'm pretty sure none of us want to know what she's saying..."

Megami grabbed a robot and flung it at Mongul hard. He quickly ducked and it crashed through the back of his throne. The impact was enough to tip the throne over along with its occupant. "_I'll tear your head off and use your skull as an ashtray, you jackass! I'll poison you with something that will peel the skin off your bones and make your eyeballs and eardrums implode_!" More robots either crashed through the windows and were embedded into the wall of the arena or were smashed through walls. The kunoichi sent fire and lightning towards Mongul who barely dodged the attacks. Finally, Megami got out her large tessen. She swung hard and sent Mongul crashing into a wall.

The Man of Steel was very glad he didn't want to know what Megami just said in Spanish. It sounded painful. Superman had grabbed Mongul's advisor and quickly pushed him out of the room for his own safety. "Megami, please calm down!"

She didn't. "_Calm down?! That shitheaded bastard thinks I'd spread my legs for him and you want me to fucking calm down?!_ _Even if I weren't dating Flash, I'd still torture him in every way I know and then kill him for such an insult_!" She screamed in German before she unsealed a kunai and hurled it at him. He instinctively shut his eyes and found that there was a slash on the sleeve of his costume despite only feeling the wind as her weapon sailed through the air. The fact that his costume was skin-tight just made it all the more intimidating.

Superman used his speed and grabbed her wrist. Just in time too since it looked like she was gathering Wind chakra around her fist. "We can't endanger anymore people." The kunoichi glared at him and said something in what he thought was Vietnamese before storming off. He translated it as either a "Fuck you" or "Then you be his bitch." Coming from Megami, both were very likely along with other cuss-laced exclamations.

"I think it's safe to say that you'll have to think of something else for Megami. I'll try to keep her from destroying anything else before the fight."

Superman was nervous. He had been waiting for Kazumi to come out of her room for about three hours now. It wasn't because he could very well die in his next fight and needed her help. He was nervous because after Kazumi returned to the underground prison, she slammed the door of her room hard enough to splinter the wood but hadn't made a sound since. He once took a peek through the bars of the door and almost had his eye impaled by foot-long needles. "At least I know she's still in there," he had muttered. Everyone had heard Megami yelling and they were afraid to go near her room when she came back looking like she would tear someone's heart out with her bare hands.

Since peeking through the bars might make him lose an eye, he spoke to her through the door after making sure that no part of him was near the entrance in case the enraged woman felt like turning him into a pincushion. "How's your project coming?"

It was faint but Superman heard Megami just fine. "Taisho already 'fixed' the death ray and is working on getting all the players ready. Hawkgirl and GL are also on War World and are being debriefed on the situation. It's a stroke of luck that works in our favor. For now, all you have to do is fight, stall for time and stay alive until you see the sign." He asked what the sign was. "Trust me, you'll know."

Again, he was reminded how dangerous Megami could be if she wanted to be and was glad that she was on his side.

* * *

Kazumi was in disguise. If she had to describe herself, she would say she looked like Roz from that Disney movie, Monsters Inc. She didn't have the horn-rimmed glasses, make-up or elevated hairstyle and she replaced the dull red shirt with a brown cloak. Still, she looked like a giant slug with squinty eyes and a permanent scowl on her face. Kazumi was sitting right behind another cloaked figure. Unlike her, the man had his hood up but she knew instantly who it was.

When Draaga got up, Kazumi followed until they were in the dimly lit corridor where Draaga slammed her against the wall. "Why are you following me?"

The slug alien's lips curved into a cruel smirk. "How the mighty have fallen~ Is the honorable Draaga merely here to bully young women?" She released the henge. "Or are you also back for something as petty as revenge on Superman?"

"Megami!"

"At least your forced vacation hasn't dulled your memory~" she teased. Megami easily removed the hand from her shoulder. She began walking out of the arena. "Are you coming or not? We have places to be and people to meet."

They simply strolled out. No one stopped them; no one even looked at them. Draaga looked like he wanted to ask why no one was raising the alarm but thought better of it. He had seen her fight with the lions and he'd rather not anger such a powerful warrior. "A lot of things have happened since you were gone, Draaga. For one thing, Mongul had a little hissy fit after Superman and I won our matches. He decided destroy a planet if certain terms weren't met."

Draaga snorted. "And what does the fate of another planet have to do with my revenge against Superman? If I let Mongul finish him, how will I ever regain my honor?"

"Hmm... I guess you can't regain your so-called honor... But I had hoped that you held your own planet in higher regard~ If so, please do tell me right now as I would rather kill Mongul myself than have Superman die saving your planet from the prissy asshole." It stopped Draaga in his tracks. "But if you'd prefer to interrupt the fight and take on Superman yourself, I can get you there quick enough~"

Draaga shook his head. He knew Megami and Superman were friends; she could be trying to deceive him somehow. "Why would Superman risk his life for a planet he has never been to? How do I know what you say is true?"

"Other than the fact that Superman is a decent person? The others and I call him Boy Scout for a reason, you know. As for proof, I don't have any until we get to the cannon but I can tell you what Superman is capable of and leave you to decide whether or not I'm telling the truth. A Kryptonian exposed to yellow sun radiation has a lot of handy abilities: heat vision, super breath and flight to name a few. Now that the smog isn't a perpetual blanket in the sky, the sun shines as brightly as it does on Earth and gives Supes a much needed energy boost. Because of that, my friend is almost at full power. Still, he isn't using any of his powers in his fight with Mongul. Now why would Superman fight as if he didn't have all those abilities when he could hurt Mongul by just staring at him?"

Draaga had no answer. The streets were almost empty as everyone was at the arena and Megami instantly transported them to the building that housed Mongul's death ray via Hiraishin. Megami found a hiding place where they could watch the goings-on. They watched as the technicians got the machine warmed up. Mongul, who was supposed to be fighting Superman right at that moment, walked up to the lead technician and ordered the death ray to be decommissioned. "It's a friend," Megami explained quietly. "He wanted to do something to help even when he's still not feeling too well."

Everything was going fine until 'Mongul' started convulsing and literally turned green. Still, it was enough for Draaga to be convinced of Megami's claim. With Hawkgirl and Green Lantern to help them take out the guards and technicians, Megami and Draaga got to the Martian before J'onn was hurt. "What now?" Hawkgirl asked.

There was a grin on the kunoichi's face and walked over to the control panel. The three members of the Justice League knew that grin well enough to know that she planned something. Kazumi adjusted the angle of the cannon. "Now we fire the thing and get Superman's attention."

"What?!" everyone yelled. She pushed the button before anyone could stop her. The machine instantly powered up and shot a bright yellow ball of energy into the sky. However, it started shifting until it formed a crude picture of Mongul... a picture of Mongul with enormous buckteeth that reached his chin, hair coming out of his ears and nose and the biggest, bushiest eyebrows any of them had ever seen.

Every one of them stared at the grinning woman. "What? I deserve a little payback. It's a signal to Superman that he doesn't have to hold back anymore. I might as well kill two birds with one stone while I'm at it."

"I thought ninjas were supposed to be stealthy..." Lantern unknowingly repeated Hawkgirl's comment.

Hawkgirl shook his head. "Some of her attacks aren't exactly subtle." That made the kunoichi snicker. She created a seal that would cause the cannon to explode once they and the staff were out of the building.

"Is she always like this?" Draaga asked out loud.

J'onn sighed. "Only when someone does something to make her angry..."

"In any case, let's get these people out of here and give Superman a hand."

* * *

They surrounded the dueling fighters. Megami had given them strict orders not to get involved unless Draaga was taken down. "Draaga wants to fight for honor," she had said. "Now is his chance."

Draaga and Mongul exchanged blows. At one point, it looked like the longhaired warrior was going to win until Mongul broke through his defenses and knocked Draaga away. Lantern held him steady. "Keep your guard up on the left," he advised.

Draaga returned to the fight only to be hit with a right hook and knocked down again. "Don't forget his other left, Draaga," Megami deadpanned.

From the camera, the cheers of the people could be heard. "Do you hear that, Draaga?" It was Megami's voice but he could see that she wasn't speaking at all. It was like her voice was coming from inside his head. "They are cheering for you. The threat against your home world is gone and you can change things here. But only if you beat him and only if you can shove your ego aside and fight with your honor on the line."

And he did. Draaga punched harder than he'd ever punched before. For his people, for his humiliation and for justice, he punched until Mongul's metal crown flew off his head and the tyrant was unconscious at his feet.

Still, the people wanted a bloody end. The victor, who had come to respect Megami's decision. She shrugged, telling him it was his decision. "No. He doesn't deserve the honor..."

"True... Killing the cheat here, where people fought for their lives, would only smear their memory. Let him live, knowing that someone he once had under his thumb beat him in a fair fight." Megami arched her back and groaned as it popped in several places. "I'm just glad it's over. I hate being the creepy chess master. I prefer being the vengeful prank master; it's much more fun. Speaking of which..." She whipped out a permanent marker and superglue and crouched before Mongul's face. Within seconds, Mongul had big bushy eyebrows that dominated his forehead and ear and nose hairs drawn on his face while two block-shaped rocks were glued to resemble buckteeth. On the back of his head, the kunoichi wrote "PERVERT" in bold black letters. "I'm done," she said happily. Those present shook their head while laughter could be heard from the camera.

"It's not over yet." Draaga picked up Mongul's crown and handed it over to Megami. "Here, you should wear Mongul's crown. If not for you, the tyrant would still be in power."

"Thanks but there's five reasons why I can't accept that thing. First is that I don't belong here. My life is back on the planet I've been calling home for a long time now. Second is that while it was my plans that helped War World to be free, you were the one who freed it by beating Mongul in a fair fight. Everything I planned rested mostly on your shoulders and would have failed if you didn't step up to bat. The third is that the people have known you longer. They look up to you as a fighter and, in time, they will see you as a leader. There are people who want to change things too. Baldy's advisor, for one, knows what needs to get done and he could use a leader who actually knows how to be a responsible one."

"What are the last two reasons?" Draaga asked.

"That thing has been on the bald pervert's gross and sweaty head for god knows how long so I'm not touching it and hat hair." Green Lantern smacked his forehead with his hand when he heard the stupid reasons.

"Keep it. You've earned a chance for a whole new life," Superman added.

"What's life without honor?" the warrior asked dishearteningly. "I'm not worthy..."

"So you lost one fight. Big deal~ I've always been on the losing side of a fight when I was a kid. It didn't stop me from getting stronger and fighting back. Honor is not about what fight you win or lose or how you die. It is the reason why you live and keep fighting. You have rediscovered your reason and your honor a few minutes ago, now you have to keep fighting to protect what you hold dear, Spartacus."

"Spartacus?"

"Spartacus is the name of an Earthling gladiator in ancient times. He escaped and then fought against his former master. He was a leader of men and a warrior who wanted to be free from an oppressive monarch. I think it's an appropriate name for the new ruler of War World." She smiled at him. "Besides, it fits that S you oh so stupidly burned on your chest." She lightly patted Draaga's chest, right on his scar.

He watched as the Justice League left for their home. Draaga thoughtfully looked at the crown in his hand and listened to the cheers of the people. "Spartacus huh?"


End file.
